The Obesity Alliance and the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) are sounding the alarm: currently just over half of adults and about a quarter of children and young people in Austria are overweight or obese. Men in particular are often affected.
Specifically, 41 percent of men in Austria are overweight (body mass index/BMI 25 to 29) and 18 percent are obese (BMI from 30), and the frequency increases with age. The proportion of women is slightly lower: 27 percent are overweight and 15 percent are obese.
Already problematic at primary school age
But the health problem starts with the youngest children: even among nine-year-olds, more than 31 percent of boys and 29 percent of girls are overweight or obese. “As a society, we simply cannot afford for chronic diseases to affect more and more parts of the population,” warned Andreas Huss, vice-chairman of the ÖGK.
Disease with many secondary diseases
“Obesity is a very stressful disease for the people affected and for society, leading to many secondary diseases and reduced quality of life at a young age,” he explains. Prevention, but also improving health skills in the areas of nutrition, exercise and psychology, is therefore very important. Politics and the food industry are also addressed. “Highly processed and disease-causing foods must be clearly labeled. Because there is no such thing as a healthy chocolate bar,” said Huss.
“Obesity is a chronic disease in which many different factors interact in its development and progression. This includes lifestyle aspects such as diet and exercise, but also genetic factors in about 70 percent of those affected,” explains doctor Florian Kiefer. In addition to stigmatization and psychological consequences, there are secondary diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, increased blood pressure, increased blood lipid levels, heart attacks, strokes or dementia, reported the chairman of the Austrian Obesity Alliance.
Major impact on the healthcare system
The personal consequences for those affected are serious, but also for society, the economy and the healthcare system. OECD forecasts for Europe show that obesity will reduce Austrian GDP by an average of 2.5 percent per year between 2020 and 2050. Indirect costs such as sick leave and early retirement are also included. The ÖGK offers the “Easier Life” program for adults and “Easier Life – Kids & Teens”.
Source: Krone
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
