How do France's obesity numbers compare with US and UK?
Almost half of the French population is considered overweight
Some 10 million people in France are classed as obese
Amani A / Shutterstock
10 million French residents - or 18.1% of the population - over the age of 18 are now classed as obese, which is a statistic worth noting with the approach of World Obesity Day on March 4.
The number rises to 48.8% of the population when you also take into account those who are overweight, making weight a health issue that directly affects half the population.
The figures come from a 2024 study called OFEO (Observatoire Français d’Epidémiologie de l’Obésité) carried out by La Ligue Nationale Contre l’Obésité of over 10,000 people in both mainland France and its overseas territories.
The figures used by the French health system, Ameli, show a slightly lower rate (17%) but these results date from 2020.
The OFEO study also showed that even those aged 65 and over are affected (16.9% are obese). Among those in financial difficulty, 24.7% are obese.
Compared to 2020 figures, there has been a slight two-point drop in ‘overweight’ figures, but obesity levels have risen to balance this out.
For the bigger picture, these statistics show that obesity has increased by 13% over the past eight years, and has doubled since 1997.
The most recent UK government statistics (for November 2022) state that 25.9% of adults aged 18 and over were living with obesity.
Read more: 10 idiomatic French expressions about your health
Obesity in UK and US
In the US, meanwhile, The prevalence of obesity among adults aged 20 and over was 41.9% during 2017 to March 2020, according to the US government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To check for obesity, healthcare professionals use a body mass index (BMI) to ascertain your height against your weight. This ratio allows them to estimate body-fat levels.
The formula is BMI = kg/m²: your weight in kilograms (kg) divided by the square of height in meters (m²).
According to the World Health Organization, a BMI over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese.
A quick example for someone who is 1m70 tall: 70kg is ‘normal’, 74kg is ‘overweight’, 88kg is ‘moderately obese and 120kg is ‘severely obese’.
While it is a good gauge, your BMI alone cannot determine if you are in good health: you can be slim and still be unhealthy.
A check-up with your GP will provide a fuller picture of your all-round health.
