Estonia: Europe's Slimmest Women, Study Finds (4)

Published: 25.07.2011 17:14

Photo: Postimees/Scanpix

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Last year, the lowest average body mass index in Europe - 23.5 - was that of Estonian women, a study by the World Health Organization revealed.

Estonian men are also below the European average, with their BMI at 25.1, reported Postimees.

Greece had the most overweight men with a BMI of 28, while Malta had the highest average for women - 28.3.

Despite data that seem to indicate a more fit society, Estonians still need to get on the treadmill more often - at least according to Minister of Social Affairs Hanno Pevkur. During a press conference on July 21, Pevkur said the problem of obesity in Estonia is getting worse: overweight people accounted for 32 percent of the nation's population in 2010, giving rise to accompanying worries, such as high cholesterol and heart disease.

 

Ingrid Teesalu

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Comments (4)

  • marty mang

    26.07.2011 13:45

    I knew Estonia has the most beautiful women in the world, and now this? I'm coming back!!!

  • avatar

    ilona

    27.07.2011 11:43

    You are always welcome! :D

  • Roitt

    27.07.2011 13:13

    slimness of women directly correlated to size of british male hordes in old town, cackling loudly about beauty of women and "how cheap" the country is. They have no sense of decorum, speaking in un-hushed tones on the streets of the Old Town about women passing by, merely trying to live their daily lives.

  • Jüri Estam

    27.07.2011 18:48

    One woman's slimness is another's anorexia. Slimness is great up to a point, as long as it isn't too much of a good thing. All of the people I see out running on forest lanes - outstanding! Estonia may still be struggling to recover from Soviet thrall and Soviet mores and from the way all of that kept the economy from performing in the way that might have been, had there been no Soviet-Nazi intervention in our affairs, but the fact that people are out there getting exercise - in droves - is encouraging as regards the new mindset.