Obesity Has Doubled Since 1980

The worldwide prevalence of obesity has nearly doubled since 1980, reports Majid Ezzati, from Imperial College London (United Kingdom), and colleagues. In 2008, more than one in ten of the world’s adult population was obese, with women more likely to be obese than men. An estimated 205 million men and 297 million adult women were obese — a total of more than half a billion adults worldwide. In 2008, 9.8% of men and 13.8% of women in the world were obese (with a BMI [body mass index] above 30 kg/m2), up from 1980 measurements of 4.8% for men and 7.9% for women.  The researchers also report that among high income countries, the United States of America has the single highest BMI (over 28 kg/m2 for men and women), followed by New Zealand;  Japan has the lowest BMI (about 22 kg/m2 for women and 24 kg/m2 for men), followed by Singapore. Further, between 1980 and 2008, the team found that BMI rose most in USA (by more than 1 kg/m2/decade), followed by New Zealand and Australia for women and followed by UK and Australia for men. Women in a few Western European countries had virtually no rise in BMI.  Observing that: “Globally, mean BMI has increased since 1980,” the researchers urge that: “Interventions and policies that can curb or reverse the increase, and mitigate the health effects of high BMI by targeting its metabolic mediators, are needed in most countries.”