All 53 member states of the EU participated, along with many representatives from other countries. The conference set up the European Charter on Counteracting Obesity with the objective being to over-see a visible change in 5 years, with a complete reversal of the current trend by 2015.

(a) ensure that the problem of obesity is put high on the political and general health agenda
(b) to encourage greater awareness and commitment to action at the highest political level
(c) to promote international liaison and dialogue to fight the problem

An International Effort to confront the Problem
In November 2006, The WHO European Ministerial Conference on Counteracting
Obesity took place in Istanbul, Turkey under the auspices of the government of Turkey.

The aim of the conference is to:

These appalling figures suggest that in the years to come, the incidence of obesity amongst adults is set to accelerate unless efforts are taken now to prevent its spread.

More information about obesity in the UK at Association for the Study of Obesity.

Australia is another country where rates of obesity are approaching epidemic levels, but unlike the UK, there is a national effort to confront the problem.

Here the overall incidence amongst adults is almost 21%. The figures for children and adolescents almost mirror those of the UK.

In parts of Europe, most notably the Netherlands and parts of Scandinavia, the incidence of this problem is much lower than in other developed countries and is increasing at a much lower rate.

It's a problem that increases with age, as in the 65 to 74 age group the figure is 28%.

The most recent survey figures on child obesity show that children in the 11 to 15 age group experienced obesity levels of about 25%, whilst even in the 2 to 10 age group the figures were 16% of boys, and 11% of girls.

Obesity deaths in the US that are directly attributable to the disease number in excess of 300,000 per year, making this the second biggest cause of death after tobacco usage.

With health warnings now mandatory on cigarette packets and leading to a slow decline in tobacco-related deaths, it won't be too long before obesity is the number one killer in the US, unless steps are put in place to both prevent and treat the disease.

For further information on obesity in the US, go to the American Obesity Association.

The UK Situation
In the UK the incidence of the disease is rapidly approaching the level of the US. Since the 1980's the number of sufferers has trebled so that today about 25% of adult people are affected.

The US Situation
The country experiencing the biggest problem is the US. Here it's estimated that about 30% of adults are grossly overweight, with over 9 million Americans having Morbid Obesity. In some ethnic groups the level is over 50%

This figure has been rising constantly and steadily over the last 50 years, with indications that it will go even higher in the years to come.

Child obesity in the US, including adolescents, in the 6 to 19 age groups is at a rate of over 15%, with about 80% of these having the disease in adulthood.

Morbid Obesity has been referred to as a world-wide epidemic.

Once considered a health problem confined to the western world, the obesity epidemic is now found the world over in developing countries as well as the west, although western countries still have the highest incidence of this potentially killer disease. The problem is not confined to adults only, the incidence of overweight children is also growing at a frightening rate.

What is obesity and why is morbid obesity a killer?

The growth of obesity and especially morbid obesity, in the last 20 years has prompted much inter-government activity, and lead to the World Health Organization becoming involved. Once recognized as being a self-induced social problem, obesity is now recognized as being a chronic disease in plague proportions with over 300 million sufferers world-wide, and an estimated 1 billion in total classed an overweight.

Body Mass Index
Calorie Counter