Number of overweight Austrian adults rises sharply

The number of overweight adults in Austria rose sharply in the past five years, a report showed on Friday. About 40 percent of adults are now overweight, up from 31 percent in 2008, according to the 2012 Nutrition Report. The increase is primarily because Austrians eat too much fat, salt and sugar, but engages in too little exercise, the APA news agency reported. "The energy balance is not right," said Federal Minister of Health Alois Stoger. Among the overweight adults, 12 percent are also considered obese, the report said. According to the report, Austrians also consume too few fruits and vegetables while eating too many meats, sausage products, sweets, snacks, and sugary pastries. Among school children from seven to 14 years old, 24 percent are overweight and 8 percent are obese. The Austrian Nutrition Report is released every five years. The 2012 report is the first in Austria and Europe in which anthropometric measurements such as weight and height are adopted and surveys of food intake and a laboratory chemical analysis of blood and urine samples are conducted on study participants, in this case 1,002 people.