Over half of European adults are overweight or obese: report

In most of the European Union, the rate of obesity has more than doubled over the last 20 years, to the point that over half of all adults living in EU countries are now overweight or obese, the BBC reports. The UK has been the most affected, followed by Ireland and Malta, where one-quarter of the population is obese. One in seven EU children are now overweight or obese, and with only one in five EU kids exercising regularly, the number is expected to rise. These children are more likely to suffer from poor health later in life. The numbers come from the Health at a Glance Europe 2010 report, by the European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), who say these children must be encouraged to adopt healthy habits. Meanwhile, one-third of African women and one-quarter of African men are overweight.

BBC News