Ireland is set to be the plumpest country in Europe – with nearly half its population classed as obese, according to a new analysis.
Almost all countries on the continent will see increasing rates of obesity and people being overweight in the next 15 years, researchers say.
Researchers concluded that women in Romania and men in the Netherlands will be the slimmest. Just 10% of Romanian women will be obese.
The findings were revealed at the EuroPRevent conference organised by the European Society of Cardiology in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
According to the study, 58% of men in Ireland will be obese by 2030 and 90% will be obese or overweight. In the UK 75% of men will have weight problems while the percentage will reach 80 in Spain, Poland and the Czech Republic, according to the study.
Researcher Dr Laura Webber, of the UK Health Forum, London, said: "Our study presents a worrying picture of rising obesity across Europe. Policies to reverse this trend are urgently needed."
According to Dr Webber, many of the countries worst affected feel the effects of economies with little regulation – meaning that governments are reluctant to interfere with the sale of food.
The Netherlands and other slim countries such as Belgium, Sweden and German have more regulation of their market economies, she said.
She said: "Policies that reduce obesity are necessary to avoid premature mortality and prevent economic strain on already overburdened health systems.
"The World Health Organisation has put in place strategies that aim to guide countries towards reducing obesity through the promotion of physical activity and healthy diets."
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