Paphos People

From today's Cyprus Mail.

Cyprus has one of the highest obesity rates in Europe and nearly half of Cypriot men are overweight, the Association of Dietitians and Nutritionists of Cyprus said on Thursday on the occasion of World Obesity Day, marked annually on March 4.

According to the association, 27.8 per cent of the population is obese, 28.8 per cent of men and 26.9 per cent of women, while 36 per cent is overweight, 46.9 per cent of men and 26 per cent of women.

“The International Health Organisation’s European Initiative for the Monitoring of Childhood Obesity (2018) conducted in 40 countries showed that the highest rates of obesity were in Cyprus, Italy, Spain, Greece, Malta and San Marino where 18-21 per cent of boys and 9-19 per cent of girls are obese,” the statement said.

‘Every body needs everybody’ is the message of this year’s World Obesity Day.

“A message that reflects the fact that we are all potentially in danger, but at the same time we are all accountable for taking individual and collective action, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic,” the association commented.

Without proper action to prevent and treat obesity, the annual medical cost of treating the effects of obesity will reach $ 1 trillion worldwide by 2025, the World Health Organisation warned.

In addition, people with obesity are twice as likely to be hospitalised if they get Covid-19 and one in two patients treated for Covid-19 is obese.

“The data so far do not indicate that people who are overweight are more likely to develop Covid-19. But global data show that people who are overweight or obese have an increased risk of serious illness and death when they get Covid-19.”

There is also evidence that especially younger people and even adolescents have an increased risk of serious illness as the degree of obesity increases.

“There is evidence to suggest that certain sections of the population have increased their physical activity during the lockdown. However, in the general population, exercise levels have not improved since the onset of the pandemic and junk food and alcohol consumption have increased.”

According to the announcement of the association “we need to improve the provision of obesity services and ensure access to them for every person who needs them.”

The World Obesity Federation and the World Health Organisation stressed there are three areas for governments, health care providers, national health systems and insurance funds to act directly on obesity: Appropriate health services to treat obese people, timely intervention for better results of treatments and prevention to reduce the need for treatment.

I am surprised to see this as in all the yearsI lived in Cyprus I never thought obesity was a particular problem. Now when we returned to the UK and Northumberland I was amazed at the level of severe obesity here especially in young women,many of whom I would assess to be in the 20-25 stone weight.In fact only yesterday out on our dog walk one young girl came out of the Nursing home in uniform and we both wondered how she managed to care for elderly people at such a dangerous weight. I think it must be a lifestyle issue from many years ago - lots of peas pudding,turnips and battered bits!! Indeed I remember my Mother in law who came from Durham giving her youngest sugar butties!!!

Must be honest ....the vast majority of Cypriot people’s I know are in normal weight zones
Cypriots especially the men tend to take pride in their body weights

The teenagers are tiny ...boys and girls

In fact you can tell an expat holiday maker from miles away, just by their very large builds

Plus, if they are ladies, they will also be wearing white trousers!

Very large Russian men in skimpy see through white speedos and very large women in skimpy bikinis

Tombs of the Kings Road ......the sights walking down the road in the summer are let’s be honest horrendous !

Nothing wrong with being larger by the way...just keep bathers for the beach and pool!

Oh yes Migmogs you have just reminded me of all the very slim cypriot girls and I also remember going to the petrol station just out of Coral Bay and an extremely large russian chap got out of his car in the skimpiest swimming trunks I have ever seen!!!

Happy Days!!

Couldn't resist

_________________
Dave
Moira And Dave

“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.”

This surprises me. Never noticed Cypriots as being over large. Older ones ( like myself) can be a little rotund .
Most youngsters are very slim and attractive, unlike the British holidaymakers wobbling down the road to the nearest bar or greasy spoon.
Walking through our local town is like Blobbyville, never seen so many morbidly obese young men and women.

whilst there are in general " normal " sized people there are a lot of obese youths hung up on fast food and little exercise. If in doubt just take a look around the Mall ,,

And clearly with lockdowns and restrictions it will get worse, both because of the immediate action and the learned habit of sedentary lifestyle.

_________________
Straight talking, no Gimmicks.

Live your dreams.

We had a rather large Cyta engineer here this morning who wouldn't ever have trouble finding a parking space for his bike if you understand me!

Why oh why do these larger people insist on wearing the wrong size clothes? Do they not own mirrors?! Both men and women wear trousers that fasten (loose term of the word) under their paunch which makes them look even bigger?! Having been as large as a size 26 many years ago but now a comfy size 12/14 I feel I'm allowed to ask these things!

Yes Migmogs your comments about oversized and underdressed apply to English as well but they are covered in hideous tattoos as well.
Dollydaydream , yes too many people don't own a mirror, and wearing braces solves the " gut over waistband " problem , braces 1.99 in jumbo !
I speak from experience as i am obese and had a minor heart attack just before Christmas to alert me to the fact ! Since December 24th I have lost 7 kg, only another 20kg to go !
I would challenge the statement that Cyprus kids are small and thin, to my advantage Lemba Bazaar has an excellent stock of school clothes in ample sizes to fit even me ! Plain white t shirts ( no scribble ) long and short sleeve white shirts all at very good prices .