Over the past 20 years, corpulence has increased in the general population, but in a different way depending on gender. While it is constantly increasing among women, overweight and obesity seem to have reached a plateau among men, or even slightly decreased between 2016 and 2017.
Nearly one in two people in France are overweight and 17% are obese. These figures have been increasing for years. A study published by Santé publique France on Tuesday, September 10, confirms these developments and shows a difference in dynamics between women and men.
“This study was conducted over a long period of time, which is quite rare,” Valérie Deschamps, co-author of the study and coordinator of the surveillance team at Santé publique France, told BFMTV.com. The organization compiled data from 1996 to 1997.
Among women, body size has increased steadily
Over more than 20 years, “reported corpulence has increased overall,” writes SPF. Among men, the proportion of people reporting themselves as overweight (including obese) increased between 1996 and 2008, rising from 40% to 48% respectively, and since then seems to have stabilised at around 48-50%.
Between 2016 and 2017, this study measured a relative decrease of 11%, a “statistically significant” decrease.
The proportion of men reporting themselves as overweight (including obese) is higher than that of women. However, the latter have experienced a very different temporal evolution: corpulence has increased steadily.
Reported overweight (including obesity) among women was less than 25% in 1996 and reached 39% in 2017, and this increase has been continuous over the years.
Different lifestyles?
Regarding declared obesity, defined by a BMI greater than or equal to 30, it affected 7% of men in 1996 and increased to exceed 14% in 2016, before recording a significant decrease and returning to 13% in 2017. Among women, it was less than 6% of them in 1996 and reached 14% in 2017.
To understand these differences, a new study is underway to analyze in more detail the differentiated practices between men and women, in terms of diet and physical activity.
“Overweight and obesity are multifactorial pathologies,” explains Valérie Deschamps.
For example, “different lifestyles and behaviors are observed between men and women, for example less physical activity in women, especially after the age of 40,” she illustrates. The researcher explains that there is also a strong impact of the level of education on these data.
Declarative data
As Public Health France indicates in its study published this Tuesday, “these differences between the sexes must nevertheless be interpreted with caution, to the extent that they could be due in part to the differences observed elsewhere in the under-reporting of weight, potentially more significant in women than in men.”
Indeed, this new study is based on declarative data. “People sometimes declare themselves to be taller and less fat,” concedes Valérie Deschamps, who nevertheless explains that this study mainly serves as a temporal comparison.
Obesity, the mocked disease
Major risk factors
“It is important to take into account socio-economic inequalities,” adds Valérie Deschamps. According to her, people know, for example, that they should eat five fruits and vegetables a day and that they should practice regular physical activity.
“But they have difficulty taking action, especially because it is far from their concern,” she explains. The specialist therefore advocates for the dissemination of less guilt-inducing messages. “The idea is to say that doing a little is always better than nothing,” she continues.
“It’s a public health issue,” insists Valérie Deschamps.
Indeed, as Public Health France points out, being overweight and obese are major risk factors for non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, certain cancers or the risk of premature death, as well as certain infectious diseases as has been highlighted with Covid-19.
“In view of these developments, the high level of corpulence among adults in France, whether declared or measured, justifies the continuation, or even the intensification, of programs to combat excess weight and obesity, by encouraging a healthy and balanced diet, by promoting regular physical activity and by preventing the harmful effects of too much sedentary lifestyle,” warns Public Health France.
