Blog 3 Global Obesity Nearly Doubled Since 1980

Rachel Harper

4 Feb 2011

2:38pm

The global epidemic of obesity has statistically doubled since 1980. Results from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London show " Overweight and obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are no longer Western problems of wealthy nations. Their presence has shifted towards low and middle income countries, making them global problems." says senior study author Professor Majid Ezzati. Global BMI (Body Mass Index) has just about doubled since 1980 when only 4.8% of men and 7.9% of women were obese. Studies from 2008 show 9.8% of men and 13.8% of women in the world are obese. According to the World Health Organization nearly three million deaths a year are linked to health related diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancers.

Pacific Island nations have the highest BMI average in the world. After the U.S., New Zealand has the highest BMIrate among high-income countries. While Japan and Singapore have the lowest BMI rates among high-income countries. Italy was the only high-income European country where female BMI may have fallen from the study time period between 1980 to 2008. Italy and Switzerland saw the smalllest increases in male BMI during the study duration. Turkish women and Czech men have the highest BMI in Europe.

Western Europe, like Greenland, Iceland and Germany have the highest cholesterol levels in the world, while African countries have the lowest cholesterol levels. Greece has the lowest cholesterol for men and women among Western high-income countries.

The papers published by Ezzati used data from published and unpublished health exam surveys and epidemiological studies in hopes of finding a way to implement policies that will lead to healthier diets, especially lower salt intake, and how society can improve detection and control through the primary health care system. This study was part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Health Organization.

Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases and is a leading preventable cause of death. Western societies and other parts of the world lay alot of emphasis on looks. Obesity affects your ability to walk, inreases fatigue, and can cause sleep apnea. There is a growing increase in the number of people diagnosed with diabetes, which is one of the most visible effects of obesity. The body's inability to process glucose can cause conflict with other organs and eventually lead to death. The extra weight that an obese person has puts a great strain on the body. Bad nutritional and exercise habits, primarily among the youth of today, can be a major factor for the rise in obesity levels. Obesity can also put a strain on your pockets with an increase in insurance. Obese people have a tendency to have more costly health problems. Not only does being overweight affect you physically, but psychologically low self esteem can come about with the stereotype that obese people are lazy and gluttonous, which is not always true.

http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/03/study-global-obesity-nearly-doubled-since-1980/