The recent reports on obesity should be a cause of concern.

Two-thirds of the Maltese are believed to be overweight and the numbers seem to be on the rise.

Until recently, the United States was top of the list when it comes to people with weight problems. Now it has emerged that many states in the European Union have, per capita, surpassed the US.

The problem has shifted to Europe and Malta is not an exception.

Together with Finland, Germany, Greece, Cyprus, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Malta has exceeded the US’s 67 per cent in overweight or obese males.

In all, it has been estimated that 200 of the 350 million adults who live in EU countries are overweight or obese.

Another factor in the equation is that Maltese children are part of the problem when it comes to obesity.

Thirty-five per cent of Maltese nine-year-olds are overweight too. In the US, only 15.3 per cent of children aged between six and 11 are overweight.

It is also worrying to note that some 24 per cent of schoolchildren in the EU were considered to be too heavy or obese in 2002, five percentage points higher than the estimates made in the 1980s and already exceeding the peak predicted for 2010.

There was a time when a fat child was perceived to be a healthy child but studies have proved otherwise. People who have weight problems when young will, most probably, continue to suffer from the condition when they grow older.

Being overweight is not a sign of health. On the contrary, it is a sign of an unhealthy lifestyle. Obesity is linked to several diseases that could cut a life short.

In general, obesity is a result of an unbalanced diet, one based on junk food. It is also a result of a sedentary lifestyle, one in which physical exercise is absent.

The two go together.

A strong effort should be made to eat healthy food and, at the same time, be physically more active. People with weight problems should make an attempt to change their lifestyle, be it what they eat and the physical exercise they do.

It is not easy, especially if one is used to a certain kind of diet. It is not easy, especially if one does not have the time to go to a gym or at least for a walk. It is even more difficult if the two “problems” are connected.

It is known that efforts are being made in schools to encourage younger generations to eat better and exercise more.

It is known that television programmes have discussed the topic on a regular basis. But this is apparently not enough.

As with other subjects, there needs to be a change of culture. Although we have certainly become more health conscious – this could be seen from the fact that environment issues make up a good chunk of our life, even of our political agenda – we are not addressing the obesity issue with all our means.

The Health Promotion Department has often spoken about the health problems that are directly connected with being overweight.

But this is apparently not enough.

A one-off campaign does have its benefits and has yielded results. However, there needs to be a more constant approach in order for there to be a greater impact.

Of course, like anything else, the people concerned must have the willpower to change.

And this is why the younger generations should be the target of such campaigns.

It is less difficult for youngsters to move from an unhealthy lifestyle to one that is of benefit to them.