Unless Poles change their eating habits and take up exercise they may become as fat as Americans or the British in just a decade, say dieticians.

In the last thirsty years obesity among young Poles has grown tenfold.

According to EU statistics, in ten to fifteen years as many as 60 percent of British society may be medically defined as “obese”.

“Although the obesity rate in Poland is relatively low, it is growing very quickly,” says Prof. Miroslaw Jarosz from the National Food and Nutrition Institute quoting WHO statistics.

“While in the US obesity among young people increased threefold in the last thirty years, in Poland it went up tenfold,” he told the PAP news agency.

“Poles should adopt a Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fresh vegetables, fish, olive oil and herbs, avoid eating sweets and reduce the amount of meat,” says Aleksandra Cichocka, a dietician. (mg)