Greeks are the fattest people in Europe...

Drake Tungsten · June 23, 2003, 17:37

... but the rest of the continent isn't far behind.

Quote:

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Experts say obesity is rapidly becoming a health crisis across Europe with more than 200 million people -- a third of the continent's population -- now considered overweight or obese.

A survey carried out by the International Obesity Task Force found that in many European countries more than half the adult population is overweight -- nearly triple the number 20 years ago.

It also found the number of overweight children is rising with three quarters now believed to be obese.

Greece tops the 'eurobesity' league table with 70 percent of women and 68 percent of men overweight while Germany has the highest number of overweight men in Europe with 71 percent believed to be obese.

The UK follows closely behind with obesity believed to affect more than 60 percent of people.

"We are eating less than we used to, but we are also less active," Hannah Theobald from the British Nutrition Foundation told CNN.

"We are leading more sedentary lifestyles, we are sitting more at desks, we are not as active as we used to be," she said.

In the UK, obesity -- which costs the economy more than $3 billion each year -- is rapidly overtaking smoking as the country's leading preventable killer.

"We are losing 18 million sick days due to obesity related diseases. We have 30, 000 deaths in the UK per year because of it," said Theobald.

"Average life expectancy is reduced in obese people compared to lean people by almost nine years."

The study found that Italy, the Netherlands and France have fewer obese people. In France, for example, less than 30 percent of women and 42 percent of men are obese.

But across the continent the survey shows that people are getting fatter and at a faster rate with one in four European children now believed to be overweight.

Following in the footsteps of the U.S., 'fat camps' for children have begun to open across Europe to educate and change eating habits.

Dave Tonge, Camp Administrator from a UK weight loss camp in Nottingham says the emphasis of the camps is to learn and have fun.

"We have fun and activities and an educational session with lifestyle to try and promote behavior change," Tonge told CNN.

"There was probably fish and chips in one part of the dinner hall, but in the other part there was salad," said one boy at the camp. "I had to make my mind up about which one, and it had to be the salad."

While experts believe that reversing the trend of obesity will be difficult they hope that by educating children and doctors they will help Europe fight the fat.

http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/eu...ity/index.html

You damn Euros. You claim that you hate America, but then you do your best to act just like Americans. You couldn't even let us keep the distinction as the "fat country." I guess we'll just have to think up something else and leave McDonalds to you.

BTW, I don't want to hear anymore cracks about overweight Americans out of your fat European mouths.

Paul Hanson · June 23, 2003, 17:39

I'm not fat. Does that mean I can wisecrack about fat Americans without being hypocritical, or is that off-limits too?

*End Is Forever* · June 23, 2003, 17:40

Not fat, gravitationally challenged...

Paul Hanson · June 23, 2003, 17:42

Also, I don't believe that 2 out of every 3 people in the UK are overweight, unless there's an entire city of the buggers somewhere down south pushing the national average up.

reds4ever · June 23, 2003, 17:42

IMO, The fattest people in Europe are American tourists! ;O)

Drake Tungsten · June 23, 2003, 17:42

Quote:

I'm not fat. Does that mean I can wisecrack about fat Americans without being hypocritical, or is that off-limits too?

You can crack jokes about fat people, but associating fatness with any single nationality is now obviously false and should be avoided. Not that I really care.

alva · June 23, 2003, 17:51

Quote:

Not fat, gravitationally challenged...

Hmm, shouldn't that make you underweight

?

Kassiopeia · June 23, 2003, 17:53

Greece? Germany? UK? Damn, Finland is dropping much too far behind. We must work together to get us back to the top.

oedo · June 23, 2003, 18:08

did you know that the german word for fat is d!ck?

SlowwHand · June 23, 2003, 18:33

Hell. All they do is sit around and guzzle wine and munch pilfered cornbread.
What would you expect ?

Provost Harrison · June 23, 2003, 19:06

*breathes in*

Boris Godunov · June 23, 2003, 19:43

"Germany has the highest number of overweight men in Europe with 71 percent believed to be obese."

While true, this number will decrease dramatically the second Helmut Kohl dies, as he accounts for at least 34 out of that 71 percent.

Ben Kenobi · June 23, 2003, 19:48

Of the total lard in Germany?

Atahualpa · June 23, 2003, 19:51

you know what the problem is.
you have to look at the age levels. old people here tend to get much fatter than younger people.
and since the population in europe gets older it gets fatter. 20 years ago the life expectancy was not what it used to be today and there were a lot less old people. "Eating is to retirement what sex is to youth" someone said somewhere at some time and I think it is not too wrong. If I compare 50-70 year olds to 20-40 there is a difference (subjective).

About the children. Well thats a sad thing. Some parents do not care about this. There is also the tendency (and I was raised up with this) to have to eat everything that got served to you at lunch or dinner. I think thats the most stupid thing to learn children to but they do it and if you dont eat up you are a bad child. Arrgh this stupidity strikes me ever again!!!

It really influences the way I eat, because I hardly leave anything left on the table. The only solution is to put yourself much less on it. But when you are hungry and everything looks so delicious thats really the most impossible thing to do.

Nevertheless, jogging or running has become quite attractive here and a lot of people try to maintain a good shape. Doing sports is also good for relieving stress.

I try to do sport for myself (running) but I just cant get below 82 kilos. At 180cm height. Thats not bad for a male, but it doesnt look too great either. My targeted weight is around 75 kilos and I am confident in achieving it this summer (last summer I reached it).

About the article.

"CNN" says all

C0ckney · June 23, 2003, 19:57

i'm with paul hanson here, i refuse to believe that 2/3 people here are obese. you can walk down any street here and you will see a few people who are very big, and a fair amount more that could lose a couple of pounds but you won't see 2 out of 3 people being that overweight.

Boris Godunov · June 23, 2003, 20:09

I also wonder where these numbers come from. In the U.S, we supposedly have such a huge problem. However, here in NYC at least, I see relatively few obese people. It's hard to be THAT fat when you walk everywhere.

Still, when I go to Middle America, I do see a lot more overweight people. I'm willing to bet a large percentage of America's overweight people are concentrated in the South, too.

SlowwHand · June 23, 2003, 20:11

Why is that? Possum fattening?

Dauphin · June 23, 2003, 20:15

Quote:

Originally posted by C0ckney
i'm with paul hanson here, i refuse to believe that 2/3 people here are obese. you can walk down any street here and you will see a few people who are very big, and a fair amount more that could lose a couple of pounds but you won't see 2 out of 3 people being that overweight.

In England I see a fair few overweight people, some fat persons, and the occasional obese individual walk down the street.

I saw about the same numbers in the US, but there is also the superheavyweight category who are so fat they can't walk properly, and instead use motorized wheelchairs/scooters.

Pekka · June 23, 2003, 20:16

How many Greeks can you fit into a phonebooth? Zero.

Ok a new one!!

Why did they ban all games in Greece? Because Keytronic couldn't make keyboards that would be able to take the punishment from their fat fingers.
YEEES!111

Evil Knevil · June 23, 2003, 20:40

Hmm... Greeks are the fattest people in the EU. They smoke the most, they eat the most cheese and wine....

I think they're doing to themselves what Mehmet II failed to do

Pekka · June 23, 2003, 20:50

Nah, it only means they enjoy life a bit. Little extra doesn't hurt, it might be even good for your health.
If you go overly obese, then you might want to think about losing weight for health reasons. Other than that, there's no problem. I know I'll have love handles, breasts and 6 chins when I'm 40, but that's cool I don't sweat it too much. Neither should Greeks. Or anyone else.

Boris Godunov · June 23, 2003, 20:52

Quote:

Originally posted by Pekka
I know I'll have love handles, breasts and 6 chins when I'm 40, but that's cool I don't sweat it too much. .

Au contraire...I bet you'll be sweating a great deal when this is the case!

Pekka · June 23, 2003, 20:55

But sweating is good.. it's more effective to have extra weight and run stairs, break sweat early. Good work out. I might bust some knees though.

Dis · June 23, 2003, 20:56

someohow this makes me feel good

that way when Europeans keep slamming us americans for being so fat, we can fight back.

Evil Knevil · June 23, 2003, 20:56

You'd better hope you'll be married by then. Surveys suggest that women prefer convicted felons to fat biffers

Besides that, how many famous fat people have their been?

Anna Nicole Smith
............
Er.... President Taft

hm....

DinoDoc · June 23, 2003, 20:58

Quote:

Originally posted by Evil Knevil
Besides that, how many famous fat people have their been?

Brando?

Evil Knevil · June 23, 2003, 20:59

Ah, yes, but he became fat after he was famous

Ben Kenobi · June 23, 2003, 20:59

Winston Churchill.

DinoDoc · June 23, 2003, 21:00

Quote:

Originally posted by Evil Knevil
Ah, yes, but he became fat after he was famous

You should have been more specific.

Dis · June 23, 2003, 21:00

what's this slam against CNN?

WTF are wrong with you people? Is CNN to conserivative to your tastes? You can't believe any american media?