The Swiss Obesity Alliance wants to classify obesity as a disease in the revision of the national strategy on “non-communicable diseases”. This is one of a series of recommendations from the organisation on the occasion of World Obesity Day.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/jdp
Italiano
it
L’alleanza svizzera chiede che l’obesità sia riconosciuta come malattia
In Switzerland, 12% of men and 10% of women are considered obese. This proportion doubled from 1992 to 2017. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), this is expected to reach 16% for both men and women by 2030, reports the Swiss Obesity Alliance on Saturday.
“Political action is essential,” says Doris Fischer-Taeschler, president of the Alliance. This starts by considering obesity as “a disease in its own right,” she added. The group argues a paradigm shift in how obesity is viewed will ensure that targeted measures are in place to prevent and reduce obesity.
The WHO has classified obesity as a chronic disease since 1997 and the American Medical Association official recognised obesity as a disease in 2013. In Switzerland, however, obesity is only included as a risk factor for non-communicable diseases in the national non-communicable diseases health strategy 2021-2024.
The alliance also used the day to call attention to the stigmatisation of people suffering from obesity. “Stigmatisation is widespread in Switzerland,” and many of those affected “suffer from depression, which can lead to suicidal thoughts,” writes the alliance in a press statementExternal link. There is currently a fundamental lack of understanding of the severity and complexity of the disease.
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
This content was published on
Czech President Petr Pavel and his wife, Eva Pavlova, arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday at the start of a two-day state visit.
Study shows proliferation of non-native plants is driver of insect invasions
This content was published on
A global study has revealed that insect invasions are being driven by the proliferation of non-native plants. This can can massively disrupt ecological processes, often leading to serious economic impacts.
Swiss set record for world’s longest hyperloop test
This content was published on
Swiss scientists have established a record for the longest-ever hyperloop journey at a facility in Lausanne, Switzerland.
This content was published on
The Swiss army wants to purchase new German armoured howitzers to replace its existing artillery system which has been in operation for over 50 years.
Poll suggests Donald Trump has many fans in Switzerland
This content was published on
Around a quarter of Swiss citizens would vote for Donald Trump if they had the chance, according to a recent poll. This percentage is higher than in many other European countries.
Swiss court rejects special assistance for student with disabilities
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Court has rejected an application for special assistance from a student with disabilities at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich.
Police arrest 15 drug dealers in Verbier in southern Switzerland
This content was published on
Swiss and French police have arrested 15 suspected drug dealers operating in the mountain resort of Verbier in southern Switzerland.
New European space tech centre in Switzerland launches its first project
This content was published on
The European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre (ESDI), launched in collaboration with the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), is to be located in the immediate vicinity of the PSI in northern Switzerland.
Swiss Federal Railways launches campaign for safety on public transport
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Railways is launching a campaign for greater respect and safety on public transport, with posters to go up in stations and on trains starting next week.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.