Health at a Glance 2019
OECD Indicators
Health at a Glance compares key indicators for population health and health system performance across OECD members, candidate and partner countries. It highlights how countries differ in terms of the health status and health-seeking behaviour of their citizens; access to and quality of health care; and the resources available for health. Analysis is based on the latest comparable data across 80 indicators, with data coming from official national statistics, unless otherwise stated.
Alongside indicator-by-indicator analysis, an overview chapter summarises the comparative performance of countries and major trends, including how much health spending is associated with staffing, access, quality and health outcomes. This edition also includes a special focus on patient-reported outcomes and experiences, with a thematic chapter on measuring what matters for people-centred health systems.
Also available in: French
Overweight and obesity among children
Childhood overweight rates, including pre-obesity and obesity, have been growing worldwide. Environmental factors, lifestyle preferences, genetic makeup and culture all can cause children to be overweight. Obese children are at greater risk of developing hypertension and metabolic disorders. Psychologically, obesity can lead to poor self-esteem, eating disorders and depression. Further, obesity may act as a barrier for participating in educational and recreational activities. Childhood obesity is particularly concerning as it is a strong predictor of obesity in adulthood, which is linked to diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer (Bösch et al., 2018[1]; OECD, 2019[2]).
Also available in: French