On average, this figure in the European Union is 16%, with the lowest rates recorded in Italy (7%), Greece (13%), and Romania (13%). "These figures should be seen as a very serious signal about the health of society. Obesity is not just a story about weight or appearance, but a chronic health issue that increases the risk of various diseases in the long term. At the same time, obesity should not be reduced to the notion that 'a person eats too much and moves too little.' It is much more complex. Body weight is influenced by nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress, inherited habits, socio-economic conditions, food availability, as well as biological factors. Therefore, solutions must be comprehensive," says Lolita Viya Neimane, a lecturer at the University of Stradiņš in Riga and director of the "Nutrition" study program. Since 2008, when 17% of Latvia's population suffered from obesity, this figure has significantly increased. "In recent years, our daily lives have become significantly more sedentary, while caloric, ultra-processed food is available almost anytime and anywhere. Eating habits have also changed - we often eat outside of traditional meal times, spend a lot of time in front of screens, and food often becomes a response to stress, fatigue, or boredom, rather than physiological hunger," explains Neimane. Thus, the trend of the last 15 years cannot be explained by any one factor - rather, it is the result of many small changes in daily life that have a huge impact on the health of society in the long term. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing with the growing proportion of the elderly population. This is confirmed by data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the prevalence of overweight in different age groups - the highest number of such individuals is in the 65-74 age group.
