| A state of emergency has been recently put on | | | | Experts have decided in the recent European |
| European Union agenda. In the next ten years, | | | | Congress of Obesity that the new fight-front should |
| European countries will be "on diet". The EU countries | | | | proceed on four major ways:governmentsNGOsfood |
| have to manage an alarming situation: high rate of | | | | industryconsumers themselves.Additionally, two |
| obesity and overweight. It seems that all America's | | | | pathways can be involved in this |
| weight-loss problems along with diets and any kind of | | | | effort:televisioncomputer industry.They are to induce |
| dieting pills crossed the Ocean.European countries | | | | and educate nationwide a well-balanced eating |
| borrowed bad habits from AmericansAlong with | | | | regimen and promote physical activity and regular |
| foods, Americans have brought the whole picture to | | | | exercise (schools included). A direct and sharp link to |
| the "Old continent": fad diets and related-weigh loss | | | | the new way of eating (fast food, biscuits, high |
| problems, dieting pills and dietary supplements. | | | | carbohydrate foods, fatty products) hasn't been |
| According to International Obesity Task Force, the | | | | established precisely. It is argued though that giving |
| prevalence of obesity has grown by up by 10 to 40 | | | | up old healthy habits proved a significant overweight |
| percent in most European countries from 1993 to | | | | factor. Thus, obesity has been declared "public |
| 2003. It is an alarming statement. 30% of people | | | | enemy number one" in the European Union.Portugal |
| living in the European Union are overweight and more | | | | case studyAnorectic teenagers and obese |
| than one in ten is now obese, according to EASO.Not | | | | middle-aged people - this is happening nowadays only |
| surprisingly, a war against obesity has started | | | | in Portugal. It is a strange situation, the least to say. |
| recently. European officials are worried specifically | | | | Nearly two-fifths of all Portuguese of 18 to 65 are |
| about childhood obesity since children with "weight | | | | overweight and no less than 15 percent are already |
| problems" are three to five times more likely to | | | | obese while over 8% of all 18 and 19 year olds are |
| suffer a heart attack or even stroke before the age | | | | extremely thin (twice than in the same age group in |
| of 65. Although this problem is not as urgent as the | | | | 1995). These facts were released in September |
| American issue, the forecasts are ruthless.The battle | | | | 2004, after a study had been carried out and cited |
| against obesityWhen overweight and obesity are on | | | | by Agency France-Presse.What do these two |
| the agenda,fast food and modern unhealthy eating | | | | statistics disclose?on one hand, the health of people |
| habits (too many sweets and refined foods)a | | | | of 18 to 65 (active Portugaese) is highly threatened |
| sedentary lifestyleare often quoted. Officials of the | | | | by heart disease, stroke and diabeteson the other |
| European Union are worried because obesity brings | | | | hand, many teens of Portugal suffer from eating |
| along related problems such as diabetes, stroke and | | | | disorders (it is argued that they have a repulsive |
| heart disease. Unfortunately,70.000 cases are added | | | | reaction to obesity and they are obsessed with their |
| each year, while heart disorders are already the | | | | look).As the Portuguese have changed their eating |
| leading cause of death in the European Union: half of | | | | habits lately, adding more sweets and fatty foods |
| all deaths are caused by heart disease.Since the issue | | | | into their meals, the obesity range highly increased. A |
| became so urgent, the EU was prompted to apply a | | | | review of their eating habits reveals that many |
| "fight-plan" against obesity for the next ten years. | | | | people go to work with no breakfast. |