Chapter 5.3: Major public health problems — overweight and obesity

N Over half of the men and just over one-third of the women between 16 and 74 years in Sweden are overweight or obese. N The proportion of obese people has doubled, while the proportion of overweight men has increased by about 30% and of women by about 20% since 1980. N The increase in the proportion of overweight and obese people is occurring among men at all ages and among women aged up to 65 years. N Only among the youngest women, 16–24 years, are there signs that the increase in weight has stopped. N Obesity is much more common among bluecollar workers than among white. It is also very much more common among people with low educational levels than among those with high. N Among women born outside Sweden, particularly from countries outside Europe, obesity is much more common than among women born in Sweden. N The regional differences in body mass index are relatively large in Sweden, and obesity is more common in rural areas than in metropolitan. N Overweight and obesity are less prevalent in Sweden than in many other European countries and in the USA; but the rate of increase is almost as high as in those countries. N To slow down the increase in weight among the population of Sweden, measures are required to reduce the consumption of energy-rich foodstuffs and to increase physical activity.