According to a report by the League Against Obesity, the obesity rate in France is 17% in 2023 against 8.5% in 1997. Among 18-24 year olds, the figure has more than quadrupled in 25 years.
“We have doubled the percentage of obesity among young people in a few years”. Guest of BFMTV this Thursday evening, nutritionist Jean-Michel Cohen shared his concern about the health of young French people.
According to a study by the League Against Obesity, conducted in 2020, the obesity rate in France is 17% in 2023 against 8.5% in 1997. The study, carried out by survey of approximately 10,000 people representative of the population, specifies that 47% of French weigh too much compared to medical recommendations. Among them, a sixth of the French (17%) would be obese, that is to say at a level of weight considered unhealthy as opposed to simply being overweight.
9.2% of 18-24 year olds are obese
The rise in obesity is particularly affecting 18-24 year olds. The latter are, in absolute terms, the least affected age group with a tenth – 9.2% – obese, but this share has more than quadrupled over the past twenty years. In 1997, 2.1% of 18-24 year olds were obese, compared to 9.2% in 2020.
“It’s a chronic disease, which will last. Junk food is on our doorstep,” regrets the nutritionist, who recalls that eating behavior is strongly influenced by purchasing power.
Thus, according to the same study, 18% of workers are obese, against 10% of senior managers. More generally, between 2000 and 2020, obesity increased by 2.5 points among executives and 9 points among workers.
“Depending on economic power, we know that there are disparities in people’s behavior,” summarizes the nutritionist.
The “scourge” of the century
The latter denounces in particular the harmful effects of and the “hype” of certain sectors. Jean-Michel Cohen notably uses the example of “five fruits and vegetables a day”, a figure which “is not exact”. Ideally, you should consume “3 to 5 fruits and vegetables per day, for a minimum of 400 grams”.
“It was misguided by the sector but only 40% of French people practice it, so these campaigns are useless”, he believes, adding that “food education is part of the vulgar for senior officials”.
“We have fought a lot against smoking, alcoholism, but we are not fighting enough against junk food. The scourge of the near future is obesity, it is already today”, abounds at the microphone of BFMTV Jérôme Marty, general practitioner. “We are catching up with the United States.”