A recent study carried out by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has shown that Ireland is fast becoming the most obese country in Europe.
The study predicted that in just 15 years time, 89 per cent of men and 85 per cent of women in the Republic of Ireland will be either overweight or obese.
The percentage of obese Irish women will rise dramatically from 23 per cent to 57 per cent by the year 2030, according to the study.
By comparison, in the UK, 33 per cent of women are forecast to be obese in 2030 compared with 26 per cent in 2010.
Someone is classified as overweight if their Body Mass Index (BMI) falls within the range of 25 – 29.9, and clinically obese if their BMI is 30 or above.
While the results paint a bleak picture, the problem can be tackled if we act now.
“Action taken today can prevent these predictions from becoming reality and in some European countries the trend is already flattening off thanks to preventive measures including successes, for example, in the area of childhood obesity,” said Dr. Joao Breda of the WHO regional office for Europe.
