Polish children are among the fastest weight gainers in Europe – warns prof. Mirosław Jarosz from the Food and Nutrition Institute in Warsaw. The Institute’s research shows that already 22,3 percent. primary and secondary school students are overweight or obese.
The obesity map of Polish children was published on the occasion of the European Day of Combating Obesity, which is celebrated on May 22. It was developed under the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Program.
In the 70s, less than 10 percent of Poland had excess body weight. students, while currently every fifth school-age child is overweight or obese – says the director of the Warsaw Institute of Food and Nutrition (IŻiŻ) prof. Miroslaw Jarosz.
The largest number of overweight or obese students (i.e. with a BMI of 25 points or more) is in the province. Mazowieckie (32%), Łódzkie (29,8%), Lublin (24,6%), Zachodniopomorskie (23,9%) as well as Dolnośląskie and Opolskie (23,8%). The smallest number of school children who have problems with excess body weight is in the province. Śląskie (16,5%), Świętokrzyskie (18%), Małopolskie (18,3%), Pomeranian (19%), Greater Poland (19,8%), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (20,3%). ), Podlasie (20,5%) and Warmian-Masurian (21,4%).
If this continues, we will soon catch up with the infamous leaders of European countries, in which there are, among others Greece, Hungary and Great Britain – warns prof. Jadwiga Charzewska from the Warsaw Institute. He emphasizes that obesity is not only the cause of other chronic diseases, but is also a disease itself.
In the case of adults, it is even worse, say specialists from the Institute of ŻiŻ. Already 64 percent. men in our country have excessive body weight. Among women, this percentage is as high as 49 percent. Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there. According to the recently published forecasts of the World Health Organization (WHO), the obesity epidemic will increase in the coming decades across Europe, including Poland.
Prof. Jarosz claims that the main reason for this is lifestyle changes, especially limiting physical activity and consuming too much high-calorie foods.
There really is nothing to wait for anymore. Decision-makers in the authorities and administration, the food industry, the health sector and the education system must take decisive, systemic and long-term action to stop the development of the obesity epidemic, which should already be called a pandemic, appeals the director of the Institute of Food and Culture.
In his opinion, overweight and obesity are currently the greatest threats to public health in Poland and in the world. Still, not everyone is aware of it – emphasizes prof. Vegetarian.
The specialist adds that obesity devastates our health. It is the main cause of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (stroke, hypertension), malignant neoplasms (colorectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer), gallstones, non-alcoholic fatty liver, hormonal disorders (polycyclic ovary syndrome) , degenerative changes in the osteoarticular system and the so-called night apnea.
In order to prevent a catastrophe and shorten the queues in the health service, we must do everything in Poland to stop the obesity epidemic, especially in the case of children and adolescents – warns Prof. Miroslaw Jarosz.
More information on overweight and obesity and its effects, methods of prevention and treatment on the websites: www.izz.waw.pl and www.zachowajrownowage.pl.