The World Health Organization (WHO) states that the increasing use of food delivery applications among children and the popularity of internet games may be an effective factor in the increase in obesity in Europe.
In Europe, close to 60 percent of adults and one-third of children are in the overweight or obese category. The pandemic has made the situation worse.
In the WHO European Region 2022 Obesity Report, it is emphasized that to combat obesity, it is necessary to limit the marketing of unhealthy foods to children, reduce the cost of healthy foods and encourage all age groups to exercise more.
In the report, it is stated that the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adults has reached a significant level and Europe ranks second after America.
It is estimated that this problem causes 1.2 million deaths per year in Europe, accounting for 13 percent of total deaths, and causes at least 200,000 new cancer cases each year.
According to the report (as of 2016 data), Turkey ranks first in Europe in terms of the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adults.
‘Complex illness’
Too much body fat increases the risk of many diseases, including 13 types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart problems and lung ailments, and is also a major cause of disability.
According to the report, obesity is a “complex disease” and means much more than an unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity.
“Obesity knows no borders,” said Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, adding that obesity is a problem to some degree in each of the European countries.
“We can change the course of obesity in the region,” said Kluge, through developing strong health systems.
The report says that the highly digitized nature of the European food industry affects what, when and how people eat, and this needs to be monitored more closely.
Impact of apps
For example, food delivery applications play an important role in increasing the consumption of foods and beverages high in fat and sugar.
A study conducted in the UK shows that take-out meals contain an average of 200 calories more per day than meals prepared at home. Over the course of a week, this means that a child consumes the equivalent of one extra day’s calories.
The WHO report presented at the European Obesity Congress also states that online food and meal delivery applications can be used positively to improve diets, access to healthy food and overall health.
It is pointed out that online games, which are very popular among children, are also associated with poor diet, unhealthy behavior and prolonged sitting.
However, the WHO states that this technology can be used to improve the physical and mental health of young people.
In Europe, the problem of overweight or obesity affects 8 percent of children under the age of 5, 29 percent of the 5-9 age group and 25 percent of the 10-19 age group.
In some countries, various practices are on the agenda to combat obesity.
These include adding calorie information to food packages sold in grocery stores and menus in cafes and restaurants; imposing extra taxes on sugary foods and beverages, not allowing advertising of foods high in sugar, salt and fat before 9 pm; There are options such as not applying take-for-get-pay promotions on food and beverages on the grounds that they encourage more food intake than necessary.