Very worrying news.
Ireland is on course to be the fattest country in Europe by 2030 according to an as yet unpublished report by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Figures included in the report indicate that Europe is about to experience an unprecedented rise in obesity levels in the next 15 years and that Ireland is likely to be the worst affected.
Speaking on Morning Ireland this morning, Professor Donal O’Shea, founder of the Weight Management Clinic, said that urgent action was required to address the problem, as 89% of Irish males and 85% of Irish females are projected to be overweight by 2030.
Ireland is reportedly at the top of an ‘overweight’ table of 53 countries, with only Uzbekistan matching the projected levels of obesity amongst the population in this country.
In the WHO report, the obesity level is expected to rise from 26% to 48% amongst Irish males and from 23% to 57% amongst Irish females.
The percentage of Irish males classified as ‘obese or overweight’ is expected to rise from 74% to 89%, with ‘overweight’ people classified as those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9, and “obese” people classified as those with a BMI of 30 and above.
Hat-tip: RTE
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