While studies on obesity, which ranks first among the diseases that threaten human health, point out that the disease is increasing as the years go by, some scientific studies reveal the fact that the entire US population will be obese in 2048. The trend in obesity in Europe and Turkey is also not encouraging. Experts point out that obesity brings with it many health problems, reducing the quality of life and shortening the life span.
Obesity threatens public health as a global problem. Especially during the Covid-19 pandemic period, the country with the highest incidence of the disease is the United States of America, followed by Europe in the second place. In the MONICA Project conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), which lasted for 12 years, it is revealed that there is an increase of 10 to 30 percent in the prevalence of obesity in 10 years, as a result of research conducted by selecting 6 regions of Asia, Africa and Europe. The information of the US National Nutrition and Health Survey conducted by the US Chronic Diseases Prevention and Control Center (CDC) was published on the official website of the Public Health Directorate of the Ministry of Health and shared with the public.
CDC points to increase in obesity disease
Obesity is most common in the United States of America (USA). According to the US National Nutrition and Health Survey conducted by the US Chronic Diseases Prevention and Control Center (CDC), the prevalence of obesity between 2003 and 2004 was 31.1 percent in men and 33.2 percent in women. In the study conducted between 2005 and 2006, it is observed that there is an increase in rates compared to the previous research. According to this study, the prevalence of obesity is 33.3 percent in men and 35.3 percent in women, revealing the increase in obesity.
Europe’s obesity report
So, has Europe passed the test of obesity? According to the CDC’s US National Nutrition and Health Survey data; It is emphasized that the prevalence of being overweight or obese in adults in Europe varies between 32.79 percent in men and 28-78 percent in women. If we look at the countries with the highest obesity rate, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and England’s Scotland region come first in the research. In the research; It is pointed out that the prevalence of being overweight is the lowest in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and the prevalence of obesity in these countries varies between 5-23 percent in men and 7-36 percent in women.
WHO: 1 out of every 3 individuals in Turkey is obese
In Turkey, the situation in obesity is not very encouraging. The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that one out of every three people in Turkey is obese. According to the data shared by the Public Health Directorate; The prevalence of obesity is increasing day by day in our country. According to the preliminary study report of the Turkey Nutrition and Health Research conducted by the Ministry of Health in 2010; In our country, the prevalence of obesity is 20.5 percent in men, 41.0 percent in women, and an average prevalence of 30.3 percent. The metropolitan city of Istanbul and the Marmara region lead the way in obesity, especially in the west and east. Istanbul 33.0, West Marmara 30.7 and East Marmara 30.6 are the regions with the highest prevalence of obesity in our country. The Aegean Region follows the Marmara region with a rate of 28.0 percent. The prevalence of obesity in the Mediterranean, West-Central Anatolia and West-East Black Sea regions is between 30 and 33.1 percent. The regions where obesity prevalence is lower in Turkey compared to the above regions are stated as Northeast, Middle East and Southeastern Anatolia. The prevalence of obesity in these regions is between 20.5 and 23.5%.
Obesity threatens children too
In the 2010 results study report of the Turkey Nutrition and Health Research conducted by the Ministry of Health, Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Nutrition and Dietetics and Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, it is emphasized that obesity is a disease that threatens children. According to the preliminary study report of the research; The average prevalence of obesity in the 0-5 age group in Turkey is 8.5 percent. 10.1 percent for boys and 6.8 percent for girls. While the prevalence of obesity in the 6 and 18 age groups is 8.2 percent on average, this rate is 9.1 percent for boys and 7.3 percent for girls. In the 0-5 age group, the rate of overweight is 17.9%, while the overweight and obese are 26.4 percent. Overweight and obese children in this age group are more likely to be overweight than overweight. In the 6-18 age group, the situation is the same again. The prevalence of obesity in overweight people is stated as 14.3%, while those who are overweight and obese are mentioned as 22.5 percent.
‘Obesity is on the rise’ warning in Turkey Health Survey
According to the information of the Turkey Health Survey conducted by the Turkish Statistical Institute in 2019, it is pointed out that the rate of obese individuals in our country is 21.1%. The data of the Turkey Health Research conducted by TUIK on the prevalence of obesity, where increases are observed over the years, draws attention to the proportions of obese individuals aged 15 and over in body mass index examinations, which are revealed using the cost of height and weight. In this category, it is stated that while the prevalence of obesity in individuals aged 15 and over was 19.6 percent in 2016, this rate increased to 21.1% in 2019. Looking at the gender breakdown, it is revealed that in 2019, 24.8 percent of women are obese, 30.4 percent are pre-obese, 17.3 percent of men are obese and 39.7 percent are pre-obese.
“Scientific studies 20 the entire United States in 48 indicates that he will be obese
General Surgery Specialist Prof. Dr. Oktay Banlı stated that obesity is a public health problem that is spreading all over the world and in our country. He states that obesity can be defined as a large amount of fat accumulation in the body, but it also invites many diseases along with it. prof. Dr. Banlı said, “This is not only an aesthetic problem, but also a health problem that brings many diseases along with it. Such as diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea and knee pain. These co-morbidities, which occur together with obesity, increase the quality of life of the patient. it decreases a lot and also shortens the life span. The age at which obesity is seen in individuals is also decreasing. It is now possible to come across many obese patients in children, adolescents, and young people in their 20s. There are studies that show that if this increase continues at a rapid rate, the entire adult population of America will be obese. In our country, there are studies that show that one out of every 3 people, and maybe almost half of the adult population in the following 10 years, will be obese. Both the age of obesity is decreasing and the number is increasing. “Obesity seems to be an important public health problem in the next 10 years.”
