Doctors warn of high obesity rate

The Czech Republic has always enjoyed a good reputation thanks to its beautiful women and its delicious brew. But if Czechs continue to live the comfortable life-style they adopted after the fall of the totalitarian regime, they may soon make headlines for a different reason - representing the fattest nation in Europe. Czech doctors have been recording a growing number of overweight and obese patients, not only among adults but with children too. Some five percent of Czech minors are obese. Due to this alarming growth, the Czech weight watcher organisation STOB began promoting special exercise and food-management courses to children and their parents this week. Dr. Marie Kunesova is from the Czech Obesity Management Centre:

Doctors warn of high obesity rate

"As far as adults are concerned, the Czech Republic is among the first places in Europe from the point of view of obesity. There are twenty-two percent of obese men and twenty-five percent of obese women. Obesity prevalence in the Czech Republic is increasing. About twelve to fourteen years ago, it was about sixteen percent in men and twenty percent in women. What is causing it is the increasing food intake and the decreasing physical activity, energy expenditure. What has changed is firstly the physical activity at the work place. People don't do physical work, They mostly sit by the table and don't move. Secondly, it's the journey to work. They used to go on foot and nowadays they use a car or public transport. Thirdly, there are the free-time activities during which the physical activity is also decreasing. There is a lot of sitting in front of the television or the computer, so all those three things contribute."

Are there enough programmes to bring awareness to a healthy life?

"We conducted a survey among the Czech population and saw that they are very well informed about obesity and about the health hazards connected with it. About ninety-five percent of the people know that it is risky to be obese. But from the point of view of preventive programmes, it's very difficult for them to be successful."

Blood sausage

But out of the 22% or 25% of obese adults, what percentage actively seeks help and wants to do something to lose weight?

"It is difficult to say but there exists a network of obesity centres here in the Czech Republic and we have five centres for severely obese patients. Two or three are in Prague, there is one each in Brno, Pilsen, Hradec Kralove, and Ostrava. We also have obesity out-patient clinics, of which there are about forty in the Czech Republic, so there are possibilities for obese patients where they can be treated. We have plenty of very cheap food that is easily accessible. That is the problem. We have to try to change this equation somehow and need the collaboration of not only health professionals but also of the state authorities, and the food industry providing healthy food."

Are they beginning to co-operate? Do you see a change?

"Yes. We can see a change and we are seeing collaboration from some companies that produce food but it's the beginning and I hope we will be more successful in the future."