Rest of World Gaining on American Obesity Rate
Although the United States has been riding the cutting edge of the global obesity trend for decades, other countries, including some in the developing world, are catching up. This is not progress.
Although the United States has been riding the cutting edge of the global obesity trend for decades, other countries, including some in the developing world, are catching up. This is not progress.
The Overseas Development Institute in the U.K. brings this dispiriting word of increasing girth around the globe, with figures pointing to problems in China, Mexico, South Africa and Egypt — and health issues are part of the package, according to the BBC:
The report predicts a “huge increase” in heart attacks, strokes and diabetes.
Globally, the percentage of adults who were overweight or obese – classed as having a body mass index greater than 25 – grew from 23% to 34% between 1980 and 2008.
The majority of this increase was seen in the developing world, particularly in countries where incomes were rising, such as Egypt and Mexico.
The ODI’s Future Diets report says this is due to changing diets and a shift from eating cereals and grains to the consumption of more fats, sugar, oils and animal products.
A total of 904 million people in developing countries are now classed as overweight or above, with a BMI of more than 25, up from 250 million in 1980.
One Steve Wiggins, an author of the report, suggests, “Politicians need to be less shy about trying to influence what food ends up on our plates.” But then there’s this — and also this.
–Posted by Kasia Anderson
Wait, before you go…If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.
Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.
Support Truthdig
By manufacturing in such poorly regulated countries as China and India, the industry risks that our drugs may be laced with carcinogens.
The presidential candidate travels with a caravan of type 1 diabetes patients seeking affordable insulin in America's northern neighbor.
“It felt like we were robbing the pharmacy,” one buyer says of the low prices she paid in Canada.
The Trump administration should veto the chemical giants' pending merger to protect not just competitors but human and environmental health.
"Less efficient" sleep might explain racial disparities in the risk for certain diseases, especially in women.
Frequent users of antibiotics were about 50 percent more likely to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes than those who had taken the drugs infrequently, researchers in Denmark found.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.