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  • Age-standardized prevalence of overweight (defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2) in females aged ≥ 18 years Age-standardized prevalence of overweight (defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2) in females aged ≥ 18 years (Line chart)
  • Age-standardized prevalence of overweight (defined as BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) in females aged 18 years and over (WHO estimates) (%) Age-standardized prevalence of overweight (defined as BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) in females aged 18 years and over (WHO estimates) (%) (Map)
Data set notes
Indicators for Health 2020

Indicators: 49
Updated: 17 October 2019

http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-policy/health-2020-the-european-policy-for-health-and-well-being

Health 2020 core indicators were agreed by the WHO European Region Member States for monitoring progress towards the Health 2020 targets. Some of these indicators are based on official WHO sources and other are based on non-WHO sources, such as UNESCO and UNDP. Data from WHO sources can be accessed and queried at national level, while data from non-WHO sources is available in aggregated form, for groups of Member States.

Further information: DIR@euro.who.int
Joint Monitoring Framework (JMF)


The joint monitoring framework (JMF) is used for reporting on indicators under three monitoring frameworks: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Health 2020 and the Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) 2013–2020. The Regional Committee for Europe adopted the JMF in September 2018.

The majority of JMF indicators in the Gateway are linked to existing databases in the Gateway.

Background documents

EUR/RC68/10 Rev.1 Briefing note on the expert group deliberations and recommended common set of indicators for a joint monitoring framework
http://www.euro.who.int/en/about-us/governance/regional-committee-for-europe/past-sessions/68th-session/documentation/working-documents/eurrc6810-

EUR/RC68(1): Joint monitoring framework in the context of the roadmap to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, building on Health 2020, the European policy for health and well-being
http://www.euro.who.int/en/about-us/governance/regional-committee-for-europe/past-sessions/68th-session/documentation/resolutions/eurrc68d1

Developing a common set of indicators for the joint monitoring framework for SDGs, Health 2020 and the Global NCD Action Plan (2017)
http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-policy/health-2020-the-european-policy-for-health-and-well-being/publications/2018/developing-a-common-set-of-indicators-for-the-joint-monitoring-framework-for-sdgs,-health-2020-and-the-global-ncd-action-plan-2017
Indicator notes
Targets and indicators for Health 2020 version 3:
http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-policy/health-2020-the-european-policy-for-health-and-well-being/publications/2016/targets-and-indicators-for-health-2020.-version-3-2016

European Health Information Initiative:
http://www.euro.who.int/en/data-and-evidence/european-health-information-initiative-ehii

The European Health Statistics App:
http://www.euro.who.int/en/data-and-evidence/the-european-health-statistics-app

(4) 1.1.d. Age-standardized prevalence of overweight and obesity in people aged 18 years and over (defined as a body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m² for overweight and ≥30 kg/m² for obesity), where possible disaggregated by age and sex, reporting measured and selfreported data separately

Excess body weight predisposes people to various noncommunicable diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and some cancers. Obesity is a growing public health problem across the WHO European Region, where more than 50% of the adult population is overweight (including obesity) in most Member States. Effective interventions exist to prevent and tackle overweight and obesity. Many of the risks diminish with weight loss.
Overweight and obesity:
• are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health;
• have important consequences for morbidity, disability and quality of life;
• entail higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, several common forms of cancer, osteoarthritis and other health problems;
• are serious public health challenges in the WHO European Region.
Worldwide, more than 1.4 billion adults aged 20 and over were overweight in 2008. Of these, over 200 million men and nearly 300 million women were obese. In the WHO European Region the age-standardized prevalence of overweight was 58.3% among adult males and 51.2% among adult females.

The prevalence refers to the percentage of defined population aged 18 years and over with overweight or obesity (defined as a BMI ≥25 kg/m2 for overweight and ≥30 kg/m2 for obesity).

1) Regional averages were obtained from the Global Health Observatory, and are based on the country level data from the Global status report on noncommunicable diseases 2014 presented here. 2) The data presented here are WHO estimates, and not official statistics reported by countries to WHO.

Country/Area notes
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