Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) and Austrian Obesity Alliance (ÖAA) are sounding the alarm
Vienna (OTS) –
- The majority of the entire population is overweight, with a third of nine-year-olds already affected
- Serious secondary diseases and costs for society and the healthcare system
- ÖGK programs for prevention and expert platform for change in society
Overweight and obesity have reached the heart of society in Austria: Currently, just over half of adults and around a quarter of children and young people are overweight (BMI 25 – 29.9kg/m2) or obese (BMI from 30kg/m2). Men are more commonly affected in all age groups and the frequency increases sharply with age. Specifically, 41% of men in Austria are overweight and 18% are obese. For women the proportion is slightly lower with 27% overweight and 15% obese. (1)
The problem begins with the youngest children: even among nine-year-olds, more than 31% of boys and 29% of girls are overweight or obese. (2)
“As a society, we simply cannot afford for chronic illness to affect more and more parts of the population,” warns Andreas HussMBA, Deputy Chairman of the Austrian Health Insurance Fund, in view of these facts, and he demands: “Obesity is a very stressful disease for the people affected and for society, which leads to many secondary illnesses and reduced quality of life early in life.
Therefore, prevention but also improving health literacy in terms of nutrition, exercise and psychology is extremely important. The ÖGK starts its prevention programs with children and young people. But politics and the food industry are also challenged. Highly processed and disease-causing foods must be clearly labeled. Because there is no such thing as a healthy chocolate bar!”
Assoc.Prof. Priv.Doz. Dr. Florian Kiefer is President of the Austrian Obesity Alliance and Head of the Endocrinological Outpatient Clinic in the Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism at the Vienna General Hospital. He emphasizes: “Obesity is a chronic disease in which many different factors interact in its development and progression. This includes lifestyle aspects such as diet and exercise, but also genetic factors in around 70% (3) of those affected. Prevention is therefore just as important as evidence-based therapies for those who are already sick.”
This complexity of the disease is largely unknown to the public. Those affected therefore suffer from massive stigmatization (“it’s their own fault,” “no discipline,” etc.), which often happens within their own family or circle of friends and drives people into a downward spiral of withdrawal, social isolation and mental illnesses such as depression. In addition to these psychological consequences, there are other secondary diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases such as diabetes mellitus, increased blood pressure, increased blood lipid levels, heart attack, stroke or dementia.
Serious consequences for those affected, society and the healthcare system
The personal consequences for those affected in their private and working lives are serious, but also for society, the economy and the healthcare system. OECD forecasts for Europe show that obesity will reduce Austria’s GDP by an average of 2.5% per year between 2020 and 2050. Indirect costs such as sick leave, early retirement, etc. are also included here. Based on the 2021 GDP of 403 billion euros, this would be around 10 billion euros annually. (4)
People with obesity also need to use healthcare services more often, have more days off work due to illness, undergo more surgery and are prescribed more medication. (5)
ÖGK prevention programs
The prevention of overweight, obesity and the resulting diseases is therefore urgently needed, together with an interdisciplinary therapeutic approach. That is why the ÖGK has developed sustainable intervention programs. The offers are easily accessible and provide information to achieve a reduction in malnutrition and lack of exercise, to promote health independently and to support the sustainable development of healthy lifestyle habits in both the physical and psychological areas.
- ÖGK prevention program “Living Easier” (adults): A prevention program based on the S3 guidelines, which is summarized under the umbrella of “Living Easier – Body Weight & Blood Values Under Control”. It is a high-quality group program for adults with overweight/obesity and/or risk factors for chronic diseases to build preventive health behaviors with an emphasis on nutrition and exercise. The program supports people by imparting knowledge about multiple illnesses as well as concrete offers on exercise, nutrition and psychological well-being. This is done with the help of qualified specialists in the fields of psychology, nutrition and exercise.
- ÖGK prevention programs “Living Easier – Kids & Teens”: These courses take place in age-appropriate groups, each with around 12 children/young people (plus accompanying persons). The families are accompanied and cared for by interdisciplinary teams of experts. Individual goal agreements and new behavior patterns change nutritional and exercise behavior and thus physical performance and quality of life. The focus is on age-appropriate exercise and nutrition units that are taught in an age-appropriate manner. The participating children and young people learn a new approach to their bodies, their self-esteem and their body-related behavior.
Austrian Obesity Alliance for information and concrete steps
The Austrian Obesity Alliance (ÖAA) is an association of institutions that together cover the wide range of topics and concerns surrounding the disease obesity. Representatives of those affected and other stakeholders come to medical societies.
The main concerns of this expert platform include the recognition of obesity as an independent, chronic, treatable disease, a fact-based understanding of the disease, an end to discrimination and stigmatization of those affected and measures that lead to effective prevention. For those who are already ill, the ÖAA calls for a clear path through the various therapy and rehabilitation options and a disease management program together with the health insurance funds and health policy, supplemented by the training and further education of medical staff and other health professions for the complex clinical picture of obesity.
1 https://www.statistik.at/
2 https://www.sozialministerium.at/Themen/Gesundheit
3, 4 Press release from the Austrian Obesity Alliance from June 22, 2022
5 page 9
Questions & Contact:
Austrian health insurance fund
Mag.a Marie-Theres Individual
presse@oegk.at
www.gesundheitskasse.at
Austrian Obesity Alliance
office@adipositas.at
www.adipositas.at
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