WHO: Low-Income Teens Face Higher Obesity Risk

Teens from less wealthy families in Europe are at a higher risk of obesity, inactivity, and poor diet, which can lead to cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, according to the WHO on Thursday.

A new report shows “worrying differences” in the health of young people across Europe. Teens from low-income families are “more affected” by these health issues, says the World Health Organization.

The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study used data from 44 European countries. It found that one in four teens eats sweets or chocolate every day.

“Shockingly, teens from less wealthy families are more likely to be overweight or obese,” the WHO said. About 27 percent of teenagers from low-income families are obese, compared to 18 percent from wealthier families.

This difference shows the urgent need to tackle the socioeconomic factors causing these trends.

Teens from lower-income families are more likely to drink sugary drinks and less likely to eat fruit (32 percent versus 46 percent in wealthier families) and vegetables (32 percent versus 54 percent) every day.

“Healthy food is often too expensive or hard to get for lower-income families, leading them to eat more processed and sugary foods, which harms adolescent health,” said Martin Weber, WHO Europe programme manager for child and teen health.

These health behavior differences also create “a cycle of disadvantage,” said Hans Kluge, director of the WHO European region. Kids from less affluent families are more likely to have poor health, which can affect their education, job prospects, and overall quality of life. This cycle keeps social inequalities in place and limits chances for moving up in society.

Besides encouraging regular exercise and better eating habits, the WHO calls for more policies to address social inequality. They suggest quality physical education in schools, promoting healthy behaviors through local sports clubs, clear front-of-pack food labels to guide healthy choices, and limiting marketing of unhealthy foods to children.

The WHO European region includes 53 countries in Europe and Central Asia.