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More than half of Belgians overweight, study finds
People in Belgium drink more but smoke less than their European neighbours - and more than half of Belgians are overweight, according to new research by the World Health Organisation.
The study into European health and life expectancy found two-thirds of men and half of women in Belgium have a body-mass index considered overweight. One in five people in Belgium is obese.
Belgians were the third biggest consumers of alcohol in Europe, just behind second-placed Czech Republic at 12.6 litres of alcohol per year. The European average was 10.2 litres. Lithuania had the highest: 15.2 litres per person per year.
In terms of smoking, Belgium fared better than the European average. 23.9% of Belgians who took part in the study smoked, compared with 29.2% across Europe. Belgium can also boast high levels of vaccination against childhood illnesses: 96% against measles and 98% against polio.
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Many Belgians may be "technically" obese, but I can tell you that on a recent flight to U.S. I was shocked and disgusted by the numbers of truly obese people there. Belgians might need to get a bit more exercise and watch what they eat, but compared to Americans, they are doing pretty well.
Don't forget that food chains and take away fast foods contain lots of hidden and harmful fatty ingredients, fat preservatives and harmful chemicals that can cause people to go fat. European's eat a lot more healthy fresh fruit and vegetables. In some countries fresh fruit and vegetables are very expensive. There is also far too much sugar in fizzy drinks and far too much salt. Perhaps many people are not aware of the amount of salt or sugar contained in food. Information on the food and drink labels can also be confusing for a customer. Somehow lots of harmful products end up in meat we all eat and now there is plastic in the fish we eat. Food wrapped in plastic packaging is also not healthy. If one adds poisons, like rat poison, to agricultural crops this can also enter the food chain and we, the end user, end up getting fat or dead.
Years ago a sweet use to be a very rare Christmas treat; people had healthier gums and teeth. Today, from an early age, many people have rotting teeth, bad gums etc. Dentists say that this problem is caused by sugary products. Promote fresh drinking water; natural fresh fruit and vegetables. During the first and second world wars people were rationed and were probably healthier, thinner and fitter.