According to a European Union spokesman, Europe is becoming a dangerously fat continent, with the majority of adults overweight or obese in most EU nations.
Markos Kyprianou, EU Health Commissioner, said that a culture of greed had set in across the continent, with poor diets and laziness responsible for an alarmingly high level of obesity among children.
More than 21 million children in the 27-nation EU are obese, a figure rising by 400,000 per year.
Mr Kyprianou impressed the severity of the situation: "Everybody has to be blamed - including the authorities, including the industry, including the consumers. If we don't act, today's overweight children will be tomorrow's heart attack victims.
Recent medical studies have revealed the health benefits of a 'Mediterranean' diet, rich in fruit, vegetables and fish, but these recommendations were not being heeded, he said.
"Now the biggest problem of obesity is in the Southern member states who have abandoned the Mediterranean diet and go for…same kind of fast food as elsewhere," reports the AP.
Mr Kyprianou explained that a six-year, £260 million EU health programme would be dedicated to tackling the problem of Europe's increasing waistlines.
