The Mediterranean diet is less and less consumed in southern Europe and triggers an epidemic of overweight – 05/21/2019

A continent more and more "big" because eat worse. This is the portrait of Europe that emerges from a report published Tuesday by "United European Gastroenterology", the badociation that brings together the European entities of digestive health. 52% of the European adult population (and more than 30% of the child population) are overweight.

This "epidemic" generates, according to the text, 81,000 million euros in annual health expenditure to European governments because it causes an increase in the incidence of chronic digestive diseases and cancer of the stomach and other organs of the digestive system.

The report says that the main reason is poor eating habits, such as the increasing use of ultra-processed foods and trans fats, which has caused an epidemic of overweight and obesity with two main consequences: more risk of serious diseases and more expenses for health systems.

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The text emphasizes that obesity is higher in the southern countries of Europe, where the Mediterranean diet should in principle avoid it. But this Mediterranean diet is more and more of the past because countries like Cyprus, Croatia, Spain, Greece, Italy, Malta and Portugal it is those who have a higher rate of overweight children.

While Malta has 43.2% of children and 38.7% of overweight girls, Italy 37.2% and 34.7%, Spain 34.7% and 32.3% and Greece 31% and 29.1%, in Germany, these rates fall to 24.2% and 23.8%, in Belgium to 16.9% and 13.5% and in France to 14%. , 4% and 18.7%.

Professor Markus Peck, report coordinator and head of the department of internal medicine and gastroenterology at the Klinikum in Klagenfurt, Austria, explained to Clarin the Mediterranean diet "is less used, especially in the lower social clbades.The reasons are varied but it probably influences The appearance of money: Healthy food is often more expensive. "

Peck thinks that "fathers and mothers have to work and have less time to spend on buying food and preparing healthy meals." It's a lot easier for a tired mother buy something prepared I need little or no preparation. "

This teacher also thinks that "children spend more time alone at home because their children two parents work and that these children are more likely to eat high-sugar snacks and additives that make these ultra-processed foods more appetizing in the short term, but tend to increase caloric intake. "

According to the report, less income means more obesity because less affluent households are also those who have less time and buy more processed and pre-cooked (less healthy) foods and less food fresh. In addition, obesity affects children's mental health because it generates anxiety and depression, undermines their academic performance and ultimately their working lives as well as their future income, thus perpetuating the vicious circle of poverty.

The main enemies of a healthy diet, which avoids such high levels of overweight and obesity, are industrial pastries, pre-cooked frozen foods, processed meats and potato chips.

The specialists responsible for the report ask for a long list of measures. It's at least stop what they're already considering an epidemic. To this end, they require the approval of limits on advertising and the availability of "junk food", special taxes on sweetened drinks, clearer labels on caloric and nutritional values, and a reduction in production. processed foods.

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They also want educational campaigns and public programs for at least double the consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and halve the consumption of red meat and sugar. The report explains how ultra-processed foods are generally very rich in added fats, sugars and salt and account for half of European caloric intake. Up to 75% in some countries.

Markus Peck also explained to Clarín that "ultra-processed foods usually contain a lot of saturated fat, added sugar and salt and are low in fiber and vitamins." "Ultra-processed foods can account for up to 90% added sugar in our diets and in some European countries, they account for up to 79% of total food consumption ". Its danger lies in the fact that "given a 10% increase in the consumption of ultra-processed foods, the risk of cancer increases by 12%".

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