Obesity in Sweden

Obesity in Sweden has been increasingly cited as a major health issue in recent years. Sweden is the 90th fattest country in the world.[1] In 2009, the number of people who are considered overweight or obese had not increased for the first time in 70 years.[2] Claude Marcus, a leading Swedish nutrition expert from the Karolinska Institutet, stated that one solution is to introduce a fat tax.[3] Folksam refused to insure a 5-year-old girl from Orust.[4] The insurance company refused her insurance based on "serious overweight/obesity".[4] A report showed that children whose parents were better educated had a lower chance of becoming overweight.[5]

Cause

Lack of exercise along with sugar-sweetened foods and drinks have caused one out of six five-year-olds in Sweden to be overweight or obese.[5] The breakdown is 12.9% of children are considered overweight and 4.3% are considered obese.[5]

Effects

Several studies have shown that obese men tend to have a lower sperm count, fewer rapidly mobile sperm and fewer progressively motile sperm compared to normal-weight men.[6]

Programs

School nurses in Uppsala, Uppsala County will be prescribing exercise to teenage boys.[7] The prescribed exercise can be anything from participating in a sport to walking.[7] Spaces will be available for the participants.[7]

Forbes ranking 2007

Source: Forbes.com[1]

RankingCountryPercentage Overweight
85Panama51.4
86Tunisia51.0
87Saint Vincent and the Grenadines50.6
88Brazil50.5
89Belize49.8
90Sweden49.7
91Norway49.1
92Russia49.1
93El Salvador48.7
94Lesotho48.5
95Suriname47.8

References
  1. "World's Fattest Countries". Forbes. 8 February 2007. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
  2. "Sweden's 'obesity epidemic' shows signs of slowing: study". The Local. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
  3. Linde, Joel (30 September 2011). "Sweden needs a fat tax to tackle obesity: expert". The Local. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
  4. "Uproar over 'obese' girl's insurance snub". The Local. 25 June 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
  5. "One in six Swedish children obese: study". The Local. 10 February 2009. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
  6. "Obesity linked to lower sperm count in young men". Reuters. 11 August 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2010.
  7. "Sweden to prescribe exercise to battle youth obesity". The Local. 21 January 2010. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
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