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 Tendency is sufficiently alarming to be a real public health stake. The deputies understood it well and have just adopted some measures to fight against the bad food habits of our children.  He is finished the time where one could horrify itself of the massive obesity epidemic that rages to the United States. Indeed, all investigations confirm a fast increase of the overweight and the obesity in France, in all classes of age. Today, the situation is identical to the one observed Across the Atlantic twenty years ago and, if nothing is made, we won't have anything soon to envy to the American.  ..4 French out of 10 too big The investigations ObEpi tracks, in 1997, 2000 and 2003, by 20 000 homes for the institute Rock of the obesity, in collaboration with the Inserm, give a very faithful picture of this évolution1. Then 36,7% of people of more than 15 years were in overweight in 1997, they were 41,6% in 2003. In the same time, the proportion of the obese passed from 8,2% to 11,3%! As for the frequency of the massive obesity, she doubled during these six years (passer-by of 0,3% to 0,6%). In other words, four French out of ten are too big or honestly obese. If this progression continues to the same rhythm, France could count 20% of obese in 2020. One knows, otherwise, that the vascular risk is bound to the abdominal grease, the one that surrounds the viscera. Whatever is the circumference of the thighs, the risk cannot increase, under the condition to have the flat stomach. However the ObEpi survey not only unveils the middleweight's increase, but also of the waist measurement, passed of 84,6 cm in 1997, to 86,2 cm in 2000 and 87,2 cm in 2003. The situation is even more alarming at the children. In 1965, 3% had a ponderal excess. This proportion doubled every 15 years, to reach 6% in the years 1980, 10 to 14% in 1996 and 16% in 2000. According to the international definitions, there would be currently in France 18% of children in overweight, of which about 3% of obese.  ..The world epidemic  To the United States, the percentage of adults in overweight passed from 47% in 80 to 64% in 2000. and the one of the obese of 15% to 31%. In the same time, the proportion of children and teenagers in overweight has triplé1. The evolution is similar in all the Europe, but it is more or less fast according to the countries: the south being touched more that the north. All parts of the globe are reached, to the point that, since 1998, the WHO speaks of world epidemic. In some regions the obesity coasts the famine, and the organization of the Nations United for the food and agriculture (FAO) underlined lately that for the first time in history, one counts as many obese people as of people dénutries in the world. The proportion of women in overweight approaches 50% in North Africa and to Middle East, 35% in Latin America and to the Caribs and 15% in sub-Saharan Africa. In Colombia, 41% of the population are obese, to the Brazil 36%. In Namibia 21% some women would be obese and to the Zimbabwe 23%.                                                      Obesity or overweight? Obesity or overweight? The bodily mass index, or IMC, is the criteria used to define overweight and obesity. It is easy to calculate, while dividing his weight by the square of his size, in m2. For example, if you measure 1m65 and weigh 55 kg, your IMC is of 55 divided by 1,65 2 = 20 kg/m2. For the adults, one speaks of overweight from an IMC of 25 kg/m2, of obesity from an IMC of 30 kg/m2 and morbid obesity from an IMC of 40 kg/m2 or an IMCde 35 kg/m2, associated to complications, An abdominal obesity exists from one waist measurement of 80 cm at the woman and 100 cm at the man. Measure your indication of bodily mass
 ..These kilograms that weigh on health The world organization of health (WHO) kept the obesity among the ten major problems of public health. Because the overweight doesn't limit themselves to the physical hindrance or to the aesthetic prejudice. The superfluous kilograms are frequently synonymous of diabetes, arterial hypertension or hyperlipidémies, and multiply the cardiovascular risks. The massive obesities can also entail articular complications (osteoarthritis) and respiratory. A very recent survey américaine2 indicates that a bad food and the physical activity lack were the second reason of death in the United States in 2000 (16,6% of the deaths), after the tobacco addiction (18,1) and far before the alcoholism (3,5%), the infections, the toxic agents or the car accidents. To fight against a curse as widespread can only pass by collective measures. The public Powers understood it well. A reduction of 20% of the frequency of the overweight and the obesity at the adult and the stop of the progression of the obesity at the child appeared like national priorities in the Program national nutrition health. To avoid the apparition of an obesity in the childhood is primordial, because it is to this age that the prevention and the treatment of a ponderable overcharge have the more of luck to give lasting results.  ..When the deputies make higher the tone! At the time of the exam in second reading of the project of public health law, the deputies have just adopted several amendments that should help to warn the bad food habits. The interdiction of the distributors of sugary drinks and candies in the school establishments has finally been kept. In the same way, all television advertisement in favor of food products in programs intended to the youth should be accompanied with a message to character, financed by the advertisers. The Minister of Health affirmed that he would also present in second reading in the senate of arrangements so that the advertisement for the sugary products is forbidden before the meals. Such measures are important, but probably insufficient if actions of education are not led in the schools and if the sporty practice is not encouraged more. An experience led in two cities of the North, Fleurbaix and Laventie, showed the interest of regular information, in the families and in school environment, to promote a good food and an increase of the physical activities. The frequency of the obesity remained steady at the children of these two cities, whereas it progressed in the neighboring cities. This type of intervention has just been spread to ten cities in different regions of France. During five years, notions of nutrition and food diversity will be developed to familiarize the children to the fruits and to the vegetables, since the kindergarten, and the active games, necessarily not being a matter for a sporty practice, will be encouraged.                                                                                                       2008-12-10
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