UN: Obesity Levels in Europe at ‘Epidemic Proportions’

A person eats in London on Oct. 17, 2007. (AP)
A person eats in London on Oct. 17, 2007. (AP)
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UN: Obesity Levels in Europe at ‘Epidemic Proportions’

A person eats in London on Oct. 17, 2007. (AP)
A person eats in London on Oct. 17, 2007. (AP)

The World Health Organization says the rates of people who are obese and overweight in Europe have hit "epidemic proportions," with nearly 60% of adults and a third of children in one of those categories.

In a report issued Tuesday, the UN health agency's European office said the prevalence of obesity among adults is higher across the continent than any other world region - except for the Americas.

"Alarmingly, there have been consistent increases in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the WHO European region and no member state is on track to reach the target of halting the rise in obesity by 2025,” the report said. Among the countries it counts in its Europe region, WHO said the highest rates of obesity were seen in Turkey, Malta, Israel and Britain.

WHO said being overweight or obese is among the leading causes of death in the region and is responsible for more than 1 million deaths every year.

Scientists have long warned that being heavy significantly increases the risk of numerous diseases, including respiratory conditions, diabetes and at least 13 cancers. It is also the leading risk factor for disability.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, we experienced the true impact of the obesity epidemic," WHO Europe director Dr. Hans Kluge wrote in the report. He noted that the obese were "more likely to experience severe outcomes of the COVID-19 disease spectrum, including intensive care unit admissions and death."

Kluge also said that COVID-19 interventions like school closures and lockdowns often raised the risk of gaining weight when people turned to unhealthy diets and were forced to be sedentary.

WHO called for countries to adopt policies to improve "environmental factors" linked to obesity, including taxing sugary drinks, restricting the marketing of unhealthy foods to children and efforts to improve physical activity.

In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about 74% of Americans over age 20 are obese or overweight.



Labubu Toy Sculpture Sold for $150,000 at China Auction

A human-sized Labubu figurine is displayed before an auction in Beijing, China June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
A human-sized Labubu figurine is displayed before an auction in Beijing, China June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
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Labubu Toy Sculpture Sold for $150,000 at China Auction

A human-sized Labubu figurine is displayed before an auction in Beijing, China June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
A human-sized Labubu figurine is displayed before an auction in Beijing, China June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

A Beijing auction house has sold a four-foot-tall sculpture of a viral plush toy character for more than $150,000, as global demand for the Chinese-designed Labubu dolls reaches fever pitch.

The rabbit-like figures sporting mischievous grins began as a character created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, and are made by Beijing-based toy brand Pop Mart.

They have been endorsed by celebrities such as Rihanna and Dua Lipa, and fans have queued overnight outside stores hoping to snag one, with analysts pointing to the phenomenon as evidence of China's growing soft power, AFP reported.

On Tuesday, a teal sculpture depicting a Labubu character with a furry body and head fetched an eye-watering 1.08 million yuan ($150,260) at an auction held in Beijing, according to the auction house's app.

The sculpture is "the only piece of its kind in the world", according to Yongle International Auction.

It was offered alongside other Labubu paraphernalia including a brown statue that sold for 820,000 yuan.

Pop Mart has over 400 stores globally, including 30 US branches.

The worldwide frenzy has seen people go to desperate lengths to acquire their own Labubu.

Last month a London branch of Pop Mart suspended in-store sales of the toys, fearing violence from would-be buyers who failed to get their hands on the limited-edition Labubus.

In Singapore, CCTV footage captured a family stealing Labubu dolls from a claw machine, according to Singaporean online media outlet AsiaOne.

Burglars broke into a store in California last week and took several Labubu dolls along with electronics and other valuables, American news outlet ABC reported.

In China, the toys have been promised as freebies for new bank customers -- an incentive quickly shut down by local regulators, according to Chinese media reports.

The toys have spawned a booming resale market as well as an online community of fans sharing tips on how to customize their dolls.

Knockoffs -- many of which are also made in China -- have flooded online platforms, dubbed "Lafufus" by social media users.