Obesity is now officially recognised as a major public health problem. In several European countries, over a third of the population is overweight.
Young people and adolescents are becoming increasingly affected.

Today, the typical European diet of energy-dense, high-fat content foods, combined with an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, can lead to obesity. There is an imbalance between energy output in the form of physical activity and energy intake. This trend is now also affecting children and adolescents.

Surprisingly, total energy and fat intake are falling, so do not explain the present epidemic of obesity. Experts blame our increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Physical exercise does not cure obesity but it favours fat oxidation which seems to be impaired in obese people.

We need to deal with childhood weight problems and to completely rethink the way we approach physical activity and diet to ensure a healthy, active lifestyle. Eating a balanced diet and becoming physically active are the first steps in combating obesity.

EUFIC's objective is to enable young people to make the right decisions about nutrition and exercise and to develop healthy habits for life.