BRUSSELS: Half of Europeans are obese or overweight, but citizens do not see obesity as a major health threat, a food industry report said on Tuesday. According to the report, commissioned by Kraft, the world’s second-largest food and beverage company, Europeans view obesity as a problem that affects others, but not themselves.

Of 15 health concerns listed in the report, obesity and being overweight ranked fifth and ninth respectively. Cancer and heart disease topped the poll. The report, ‘Understanding the Health Gap’, was carried out in partnership with the market research company GfK NOP.

Despite growing child obesity rates, the problem is not a top concern for European mothers. From a list of 14 health concerns regarding their children, ‘being overweight’ and ‘obesity’ ranked equally in sixth place.

On Tuesday, a report by Britain’s National Audit Office and others said the government could miss a target to halt the rise of obesity in children by 2010.

Britain has the highest levels of self-reported obese or overweight people in Europe and obesity costs the British taxpayer one billion pounds per year. In 2003, 13.7 per cent of youngsters were obese.

These latest reports are sure to be of concern to the European Commission, which will mark the first anniversary of its European platform on diet, nutrition and physical activity next month.—Reuters