WHO European Regional Obesity Report 2022
WHO Regional Office for Europe has launched the WHO European Regional Obesity Report 2022. The report, aimed at policymakers and stakeholders, responds to the growing challenge and impact of obesity, providing the evidence to date, building on past publications that focus on overweight and obesity in Europe, and aligning with initiatives to tackle cancer within member states.
The report concludes by recommending a suite of population-level interventions and policy options that member states can consider in preventing and tackling obesity in the region, with an emphasis on building back better after the COVID-19 pandemic. World Cancer Research Fund International was delighted to act as an adviser for this report.
The report highlights that:
- Not a single country in the WHO European Region is on track to halt the rise in obesity by 2025.
- Two-thirds of adults, one in three school-aged children and one in four adolescents in the WHO European Region are living with overweight or obesity.
- Obesity is a risk factor for multiple non-communicable diseases, including cancer. At least 13 cancers are known to be caused by obesity.
- People living with obesity are often stigmatised, drastically increasing their risk of mental health problems.
