When obesity becomes the norm in Luxembourg

20 May 2023

When obesity becomes the norm in Luxembourg

Overweight is exploding and now concerns all categories of the population.

In Luxembourg, obesity (BMI*’30) now affects 16.5% of the population aged 15 and over, according to the most recent figures. This puts the country in line with the European average (16.5%). Overweight (BMI’25) concerns 40% of men and 24% of women. Children are not spared either, since

4.3% of primary school pupils are obese and 7.5% overweight. The share rises to 9.9% and 9.3% among secondary school teenagers. From 2019, the CNS will cover up to ten dietician consultations over a three-year period for obese people.

Fruits and vegetables are out of favor

In the Grand Duchy, 48.1% of people aged 15 and over do not eat fruit and/or vegetables on a daily basis. This is well above the European average (32.9%).

“Sport alone is not enough to lose weight”.

Sport alone is not enough to lose weight,” explains sports coach Bastien Miest. You also need to review your diet, prioritize seasonal fruit and vegetables, and avoid sugar and salt”. To see results on the scale, he recommends two to three 45-minute sessions per week. A mix of sports is ideal. “Cardio is more suitable in the morning because our metabolism is more active. In the evening, I recommend weight training.

Hardy residents

42.3% of residents engage in more than 150 minutes of endurance physical activity per week, compared with 29.9% in the EU. One out of every two Europeans doesn’t do it at all. “Only 35.3% of Luxembourg residents are in this situation.

People often confuse a balanced diet with dieting.

The weight-loss sector involves more and more players (coaches, slimming products, fitness gyms, specialized press, etc.) and generates growing sales, in Luxembourg as elsewhere. People often confuse a balanced diet with dieting,” stresses Anne Durocher, dietician in Luxembourg. But the more you restrict yourself, the greater the risk of developing an unhealthy relationship with food. Sometimes people – most often women – consult a dietician even though they’re not overweight. Sometimes, we have to reconcile them with food and review their weight targets together”.