The number of overweight and obese adults in the developing world has almost quadrupled to around one billion since 1980, says a report from a UK think tank. The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) said one in three people worldwide was now overweight and urged governments to do more to influence diets. In the UK, 64% of adults are classed as being overweight or obese.

 

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 produce. 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. This compares to 557 million in high-income countries. Over the same period, the global population nearly doubled.

 

At the same time, however, under-nourishment is still recognised to be a problem for hundreds of millions of people in the developing world, particularly children. Using data published in Population Health Metrics last year, the researchers looked at changing overweight and obesity rates across the regions of the world and by individual country.

 

The regions of North Africa, the Middle East and Latin America saw large increases in overweight and obesity rates to a level on a par with Europe, around 58%. While North America still has the highest percentage of overweight adults at 70%, regions such as Australasia and southern Latin America are now not far behind with 63%.

 

 

Diet linked to income

The greatest growth in overweight people occurred in south east Asia, where the percentage tripled from a lower starting point of 7% to 22%. Among individual countries, the report found that overweight and obesity rates had almost doubled in China and Mexico, and risen by a third in South Africa since 1980. Many countries in the Middle East also had a high percentage of overweight adults. One of the report authors, Steve Wiggins, said there were likely to be multiple reasons for the increases.

 

“People with higher incomes have the ability to choose the kind of foods they want. Changes in lifestyle, the increasing availability of processed foods, advertising, media influences... have all led to dietary changes.”

 

The report cites the example of South Korea where efforts to preserve the country’s traditional diet have included public campaigns and large-scale meal preparation training for women.

 

---

Nepal too is Facing Obesity Linked Health Risks

Though no comprehensive study on obesity in Nepal has been conducted in recent years, some serious health problems related to change in lifestyle and nutrition have emerged among Nepalis. With growing number of patients with diabetes, heart diseases, blood pressure, liver and kidney related problems visiting the doctors on a regular basis, experts are warning about the increasing health hazards especially to the urban population. Obesity is seen as the major contributing factor for these medical conditions. Studies have suggested that obesity in Nepal has risen to 10 per cent in 2006 from 1.6 per cent of 1996. Senior Cardiologist Dr Prakash Raj Regmi sees the change of dietary habits as the main reason. “Rising consumption of foods with low nutritional value but high calorie and trans fat is the major contributor,” opines Regmi who is actively involved in Nepal Heart Foundation. “The change in dietary routine such as less eating in morning meals and high consumption in the evening/night is causing the bellies of people to grow significantly.” He recommends lowering the consumption of diets with high calorie but low nutrition such as rice, potato, sugar and sweets. Similarly, Dr Regmi suggests the government to form a non-communicable disease policy to ensure the safeguarding of health of ordinary citizens.  

 

A World Bank report published in 2011 revealed the scale of increasing health risks in South Asia region. The report entitled “Capitalizing on Demographic Transition: Tackling Non-communicable Diseases in South Asia” identified heart diseases as the major factor of death among South Asians of age group 15-69. The report also found that heart problems along with other non-communicable disease account for 60 per cent of the lives lost due to degrading health among Nepalis.

 

As the household income rises, Nepali urban population is more capable in purchasing high calorie foods. Similarly, the changing lifestyle trend of urban youths is another area of concern. “Lack of effective physical activities and stationary lifestyle combined with unhealthy food are contributing to the obesity rise in Nepal,” says Gunja Lal Hirachan, owner of Jasmine Fitness Club and Spa. According to him, Nepali adults over the age of 30 years are not the only victims of this problem. “Now-a-days we are seeing many overweight teenagers, who are possibly facing various health hazards in their young age,” informs Hirachan. “Proper health and physical education, fitness awareness and restrictions in sales of unhealthy food will reduce obesity in youths.”