Maltese MEP Alfred Sant said that people from the lower strata of society are the most likely to suffer from obesity, suffering also from other illnesses derived from this condition. Dr Sant said that economic reasons are often the reason why people opt for low cost eating to fill in the gaps in their day. Dr. Sant was invited to address a roundtable discussion on obesity in Europe organised by the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO). The roundtable was chaired by John Bowis, former Conservative MEP and UK Minister for Health. Dr Sant was invited for this discussion following his Parliamentary Question to the European Commission on the relation between obesity and lower socio-economic groups.
The EC is expected to reply to Dr Sant’s queries about the EU’s future plans for tackling the social dimensions of obesity following the publication of the Commission’s White Paper on a Strategy for Europe on nutrition, overweight and obesity-related health issues. Dr. Sant asked the Commission to provide data on the relationship between obesity and people in lower socio-economic groups in the EU. He also asked the EC to list the tangible results achieved on the high presence of obesity among people in lower socio-economic groups and asked the EC to outline its future plans for tackling this specific cause of obesity in the EU.
Members from the EASO Patient Council and the ‘Association of European Cancer Leagues’ present at the Round Table Conference lauded Dr. Sant’s initiative on obesity and also spoke about the prevention and managing obesity within Europe.
Maltese Version – ‘DAWK BI DĦUL BAXX L-AKTAR LI JBATU MINN MARD IKKAWŻAT MILL-ĦXUNA’
Il-Membru Parlamentari Ewropew Alfred Sant qal li dawk is-saffi tal-popolazzjoni li għandhom dħul baxx huma l-aktar li jbatu mill-obesita` u huma l-aktar li jsofru minn mard ikkawżat mill-ħxuna. Dr. Sant, li kien qed jindirizza diskussjoni dwar l-obesita` fi Brussell, qal li l-obesita` tista’ tkun indirizzata permezz ta’ politika li tolqot lil gruppi li qegħdin f’saff soċjo-ekonomiku baxx. Ħafna drabi huma raġunijiet ekonomiċi li jwasslu biex in-nies jagħżlu ikel li ma jiswiex flus matul il-ġurnata.
Dr Sant kien mistieden jindirizza diskussjoni dwar l-obesita` fl-Ewropa organizzata mill-Assoċjazzjoni Ewropea għall-Istudju tal-Obesita`, grupp ta’ professjonisti li jispeċjalizzaw fil-kura tal-obesita`. Id-diskussjoni kienet immexxija minn John Bowis, ex-Membru Parlamentari Konservattiv Ingliż u Ministru tal-Finanzi. Dr Sant kien mistieden għad-diskussjoni wara Mistoqsija Parlamentari lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea dwar ir-relazzjoni bejn l-obesita` u l-gruppi li qegħdin f’saff soċjo-ekonomiku baxx.
Il-Kummissjoni Ewropea mistennija twieġeb mistoqsijiet ta’ Dr Sant dwar il-pjanijiet li se twettaq fil-futur biex tindirizza l-aspett soċjali tal-obesita` wara l-publikazzjoni tal-White Paper tal-Kummissjoni dwar Strateġija Ewropea għad-dieta, il-piż żejjed u kwistjonijiet oħra relatati mal-obesita`. Dr Sant staqsa lill-Kummissjoni biex tipprovdi informazzjoni dwar ir-relazzjoni li hemm bejn l-obesita` u n-nies li ġejjin minn saffi soċjo-ekonomiċi baxxi fl-Unjoni Ewropea. Staqsa wkoll biex il-Kummissjoni tipprovdi lista li turi riżultati tanġibbli tal-kisbiet s’issa dwar ir-relazzjoni bejn l-obesita` u n-nies li ġejjin minn problemi soċjo-ekonomiċi. Dr Sant staqsa lill-Kummissjoni biex turi x’qafas se jkun hemm għall-ġejjieni biex tindirizza din il-kawża partikolari ta’ obeżita` fl-Unjoni Ewropea.
Membri tal-Kunsill tal-Pazjenti u tal-Assoċjazzjoni Ewropea tal-Cancer Leagues attendew il-laqgħa u faħħru l-inizjattiva ta’ Dr Sant dwar l-obesita` u tkellmu wkoll dwar il-prevenzjoni u l-immaniġjar tal-obesita` fl-Ewropa.
Post a comment