Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T08:31:15.808Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Recent body-weight changes and weight loss practices in the European Union

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

R Lappalainen
Affiliation:
General Hospital Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, PO Box 2000, FIN-33521, Tampere and Finnish Institute for Behavioural Science, Tampere, Finland
MT Tuomisto
Affiliation:
General Hospital Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, PO Box 2000, FIN-33521, Tampere and Finnish Institute for Behavioural Science, Tampere, Finland
I Giachetti
Affiliation:
CPC France, 379 Avenue du General de Gaulle, 92140 Clamart, France
A D'Amicis
Affiliation:
Instituto Nazionale della Nutrizione, Via Ardeatine, 546-00178 Rome, Italy
S Paquet
Affiliation:
Ministry of Health, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Objectives

The aim of this paper is to describe recent weight changes and weight loss practices in the EU, and in particular to describe the group of subjects who were in a recent state of weight gain.

Design and subjects

Overall, 15 239 adults aged 15 years and upwards composed of 1000 from each EU member state were selected to complete the interview-assisted face-to-face questionnaire. In each member state, sample selection was quota-controlled to ensure national representativeness.

Results

This survey points to a fairly alarming tendency of more normal weight, overweight or obese European people being in a state of weight gain rather than weight loss. But it is also worrying that almost a fifth of underweight people are in the process of losing more weight. The recommendations for interventions to promote weight loss might be somewhat different between countries in the EU as the common weight loss practices differ between such countries. Overall, a campaign alone may not be effective in encouraging people to do more physical activity in Europe. Additional methods should be found. Furthermore, a combination of diet and exercise as a method of weight control is underestimated or undervalued by the general population who are either overweight or obese.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © CABI Publishing 1999

References

1Salom, IL. Weight control and nutrition: knowing when to intervene [Comment]. Geriatrics 1997; 52: 33–4, 3941.Google ScholarPubMed
2Jakicic, JM, Polley, BA, Wing, RR. Accuracy of self-reported exercise and the relationship with weight loss in overweight women. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 1998; 30: 634–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3Button, EJ, Loan, P, Davies, J, Sonuga Barke, EJ. Self-esteem, eating problems, and psychological well-being in a cohort of schoolgirls aged 15–16: a questionnaire and interview study. Int. J. Eat. Disord. 1997; 21(1): 3947.3.0.CO;2-4>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4Wardle, J, Steptoe, A, Bellisle, F, et al. Healthy dietary practices among European students. Health Psychol. 1997; 16: 443–50.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5Kramer, FM, Jeffrey, RW, Forster, JL, Snell, MK. Long-term follow-up of behavioral treatment for obesity: patterns of weight regain among men and women. Int. J. Obes. 1989; 13: 123–36.Google Scholar
6Karason, K, Wallentin, I, Larsson, B, Sjostrom, L. Effects of obesity and weight loss on left ventricular mass and relative wall thickness: survey and intervention study. BMJ 1997; 315: 912–16.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7Pasquali, R, Casimirri, F, Vicennati, V. Weight control and its beneficial effect on fertility in women with obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome. Hum. Reprod. 1997; 12 (Suppl. 1): 82–7.Google Scholar
8Richardson, DC, Schoenherr, WD, Zicker, SC. Nutritional management of osteoarthritis. Vet. Clin. North Am. Small Anim. Pract. 1997; 27: 883911.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9Rumpel, C, Ingram, DD, Harris, TB, Madans, J. The association between weight change and psychological well-being in women. Int. J. Obes. 1997; 18: 179–83.Google Scholar
10Stunkard, AJ, Wadden, TA, Psychological aspects of severe obesity. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1992; 55: S524–32.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11Viswanathan, M, Snehalatha, C, Viswanathan, V, Vidyavathi, P, Indu, J, Ramachandran, A. Reduction in body weight helps to delay the onset of diabetes even in non-obese with strong family history of the disease. Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract. 1997; 35: 107–12.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12Klem, ML, Wing, RR, McGuire, MT, Seagle, HM, Hill, JO. A descriptive study of individuals successful at long-term maintenance of substantial weight loss. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1997; 66: 239–46.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13Bennet, EM. Weight-loss practices of overweight adults. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1991; 53: S1519–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14Wong, ML, Koh, D, Lee, MH, Fong, YT. Two-year follow-up of a behavioural weight control programme for adolescents in Singapore: predictors of long-term weight loss. Ann. Acad. Med. Singapore 1997; 26: 147–53.Google ScholarPubMed
15Kayman, S, Bruvold, W, Stern, JS. Maintenance and relapse after weight loss in women: behavioral aspects. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1990; 52: 800–7.Google Scholar
16Kearney, JM, Kearney, MJ, McElhone, S, Gibney, MJ. Methods used to conduct the pan-European Union survey on consumer attitudes to physical activity, body weight and health. Public Health Nutr. 1999; 2: 7986.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17Zunft, HJ, Friebe, D, Seppelt, B, et al. Perceived benefits of healthy eating among a nationally-representative sample of adults in the European Union. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 1997; 51 (Suppl. 2): S41–6.Google ScholarPubMed