Prevalence and Trends of Overweight and Obesity in European Children From 1999 to 2016

Abstract

The prevalence of obesity and overweight has markedly risen in the last 2 decades in Europe, even though noticeable variations in the estimations across countries have been reported.^1-3 According to estimates from the World Health Organization’s Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative, using the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) criteria, approximately one-quarter of European children aged 6 to 9 years had overweight or obesity in 2010, with estimates ranging from 10.8% (Belgium) to 39.9% (Greece).⁴ The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents is growing in low- and middle-income countries,⁵ although some country-specific analyses have suggested a recent plateau, or even a decrease, in the frequency of excess weight, especially in high-income countries.^3,6