Global obesity surpasses underweight; examines trends and policies in Europe, including Poland.
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UNICEF reports that obesity has surpassed undernutrition globally for the first time, with childhood obesity rising from 3% to 9.4% between 2000 and the present, while undernutrition fell from nearly 13% to 9.2%. In the EU, over half of adults aged 16 and older were overweight in 2022. Poland shows alarming statistics: only 2% are underweight, 34% have a normal weight, and 64% have an abnormal weight, including 27% with obesity based on BMI. While experts note BMI limitations, estimates suggest most Polish adults are overweight, with 9 million suffering from obesity. City differences exist, with Poznaล having the lowest rate of overweight or obesity among adults (55.8%). Efforts to combat obesity in Poland include restrictions on unhealthy food advertising and sales in school canteens, alongside proposed increases to the sugar tax starting in 2026. Internationally, Spain saw high rates of overweight and obesity, leading to a ban on sugary food advertising for children under 16. Hungary has had a “chips tax” since 2011 and mandates health standards in public cafeterias, though obesity rates continue to rise. Lithuania shows slight improvement but lacks a sugar tax, while Austria is open to such measures but emphasizes better product labeling and promoting active lifestyles due to financial concerns among households.
