Obesity in Hungary out of control – WHO Data

Hungarians diagnosed with obesity are also at a risk of developing high blood pressure. Having excessive weight is believed to raise one’s blood pressure because it forces the heart to work harder when supplying blood to all the cells. 

Not only does the obesity epidemic cause numerous health effects, but it also has vast economic applications. This stems from the direct medical expenses that result from treating obesity-related conditions like diabetes and stroke.

Turning the Tide on Obesity

The good news is: there are several strategies that Hungary can use to lower obesity rates. One of these is to lower consumption of calories. In countries like Japan where the adult obesity rate stands at less than 6%, individuals consume 200 fewer calories than those living in the most obese countries. 

Another thing that can help is making healthier food choices. The Japanese diet is the perfect example of this. It’s high in vegetables and fish; and is very low in calories. 

Vegetables are chock-full of nutrients that are essential for healthy weight management.

Similarly, the Japanase prefer fish to red meat, which has higher amounts of calories. To put this into perspective, consider a cooked 4-ounce portion of cod to a grilled portion of T-bone steak of the same quantity. The fish contains 26 grams of protein, one gram of fat and only 120 calories. By comparison, the red meat has 28 grams protein, 18 grams of fat and 278 calories. This goes to show how diet impacts the rate of obesity in a country. 

Worldwide, obesity has become a major health concern with countries like Hungary registering one of the highest rates. The worst bit is that it affects both the health of individuals and the economy due to increased spending on healthcare. 

Fortunately, Hungary and other nations with high obesity rates can adopt policies to curb this epidemic.

A good place to start would be to encourage their citizens to consume fewer calories and make healthier food choices.