The World Epidemic - Obesity

This epidemic has become a pandemic that is spreading in many countries which more people exercise less and become addicted to junk food. Today no one country is immune to obesity. 

Nutritionist experts now warn of “a global epidemic” of obesity- related diseases such as diabetes, cancer, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Since 1980, global obesity rates have more than doubled, in China in the past eight years hypertension rates there are now the same in the United States. More than half of all newly diagnosed cases of diabetes occur in India and China. Mexico has had a rapid rise in obesity across all levels of society in every area of the country, with a consequent rise in diabetes.

According to the report one of the major causes is that many manufacturers now add more sugar to foods to make them taste better. Since obesity is rising rapidly among school children too. Gail Harrison, of the School of Public Health, University of California warns that in addition to local prevention on a global basis, with the associated development of policy, expertise and infrastructure is essential to cope with the epidemic of obesity and its associated diseases. 

The writers of the book Food Fight state, “over consumption has replaced malnutrition as the world’s top food problem.”

Here are the top 10 most Obese Countries in 2017.

1. United States of America – 109,342,839

2. China – 97,256,700

3. India – 65,619,826

4. Brazil – 41,857,656

5. Mexico – 36,294,881

6. Russia – 34,701,531

7. Egypt – 28,192,861

8. Turkey – 23,819,781

9. Iran – 21,183,488

10. Nigeria – 20,997,494

How do you determine what overweight is for each person?

The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, U.S.A. states: “In simplest terms, obesity is being seriously overweight because of excess body fat.” Height and weight tables can give an approximate guideline as to whether one is simply overweight or has passed into the obese stage.