We put on weight as we get older. Up until our 25th birthday, we are still holding on somehow. Among young adults (aged 18-24), the slimmest in Europe are the Italians (just 18% of them are overweight), Hungarians, Slovaks, Poles and Czechs (19% each). In this age category, the countries with the most overweight people are Ireland and Malta – 36% are carrying some extra kilos.

As we move up the age range, we see populations getting more overweight. Among 30-year-old Europeans, the Italians are still the slimmest – only 29% are overweight. Over 35 years old, half of all Europeans are already overweight, and over 45 years old it’s almost 60%. 

We also checked the weight of Europeans according to gender. The countries with the most men overweight are Croatia, Malta and Greece, whereas for women they are Turkey, Malta and Latvia.

The chart shows not only overweight people, but also what percentage of the country’s population are obese. According to WHO standards, if your BMI (weight divided by your height squared) is higher than 25, you are overweight; if it is more than 30, you are obese.

What can you do to stay in good shape?

It is best to start moving. According to Eurostat data, only 44% of Europeans do any kind of exercise at least once a week. The most active are the Danes – 74% say they exercise – along with the Austrians (72%), the Swedes (71%) and the Germans (66%). The least physically active are the Romanians (only 5% declare that they exercise), the Bulgarians (11%) and the Poles (22%). 

What exercise is easiest to practice? You don’t need a swimming pool, a tennis racket or a gym; you don’t need a coach or a team – all you need is a pair of trainers and you can start practicing the easiest sport in the world: running. During a slow run you can burn 100 calories for every mile you run, which is about 62 calories per kilometre. If you run 10 km in an hour, you will get rid of 620 calories.