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Arnaud Cocaul (Medical nutritionist)
Medical validation:
March 26, 2023
According to a new study, young French people are increasingly affected by obesity. How to explain this phenomenon ? The answers of Dr Cocaul, nutritionist doctor.
If in France, the share of obese French people has continued to increase in recent years, the latest figures are not the most reassuring. According to a new study, conducted by the Journal of Clinical Medicine, 18-24 year olds are particularly affected by this excess weight. Explanations.
47% of French people are overweight
According to the study, conducted by survey of approximately 10,000 people aged 18 or over, 47% of French people weigh too much (therefore including overweight and obesity) compared to current health recommendations.
Among them, 17% of French people are said to be suffering from obesity, a disease characterized by an abnormal accumulation of fat, which is detrimental to health (BMI greater than 30).
As for the youngest, if the 18-24 year olds represent the least affected age group with only 9.2% obese, this share has quadrupled over the past twenty years.
“It is clear that contrary to the expectations of both public authorities and health professionals, since the implementation of the National Health Nutrition Program in 2001, obesity in France has only increased, year after year.reveal Annick Fontbonne, researcher at Inserm and David Nocca, doctor at Montpellier University Hospital, both authors of the study.
Another interesting point of the survey: the most popular regions seem to be the most affected by this scourge. Thus, obesity would affect a large part of the population (20%) residing in Hauts-de-France or the Grand Est.
And for good reason: the poorest inhabitants seem to consume more junk food.
“People are not “addicted” to bad food, but they are encouraged to buy it because it is cheaper“, reveals Annick Fontbonne during a press conference.
NO to diets, YES to WW!
“The French are hit hard by the economic crisis”
These results, to say the least worrying, do not surprise much Arnaud Cocaul, nutritionist.
“The prevalence of obesity continues to grow and this phenomenon is likely to increase. The French are hit hard by the economic crisis and the most modest households are unable to integrate the fact that eating a balanced diet can be inexpensive. They prefer junk food and large portions, stuffed with fat, salt and sugar, when it is precisely these ingredients that are responsible for weight gain.“, says the expert, before adding “LLack of sleep among the youngest also plays a key role in obesity, as do incentives for junk food in supermarkets and cinemas.”
In fact, to prevent obesity, “It would be necessary to set up campaigns showing that it is possible to eat balanced and fear expensive. And, of course, distributors should also play the game by stopping the promotion of oversized industrial products: bag of candies near the checkouts or jumping in XXL popcorn at the cinema..”