Strong overweight increased dramatically worldwide

Long-term study notes massive worldwide increase in obesity

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), three million people worldwide die each year as a result of being too overweight. Health experts estimate the number of overweight people to be about half a billion people worldwide. According to the WHO, obesity is not only a growing problem in the industrialized nations, even in the developing countries a steadily increasing number is suffering from the consequences of high body weight. Overall, the number of obese to overweight people worldwide has almost doubled in the past thirty years, the WHO said. As part of the publication of a comprehensive long-term study on obesity, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the current issue of the journal „The Lancet“ The authors said that in 2008 nearly half a billion people (205 million men and 297 million women) were overweight worldwide.

Obesity is also a problem in developing countries?
An international team of researchers evaluated medical data from 199 countries and regions as part of the long-term study, with the result that obesity is gaining ground worldwide. However, not only the industrialized nations are affected, but also countries with low and middle income, said one of the study authors, Majid Ezzati. For example, the average body mass index (BMI) is highest in the nations of the Pacific Islands today. The BMI determines the ratio of body weight and height, whereby from a BMI of 25 persons are considered overweight, from a BMI above 30 as obese (obese). Although the medical value of the BMI is controversial, the relation of weight to height provides a relatively good indication for the rough classification of the population in normal weight, overweight and obese.

Most obese in the US and New Zealand
The long-term study also found that 13.8 percent of women and 9.8 percent of men were overweight in 2008, compared to just 7.9 percent of women and 4.8 percent of men just over 30 years ago (1980) was the case, researchers report „Lancet“. In terms of men, most obese people are to be found in the small Pacific state of Nauro, followed by the USA and New Zealand. Among the industrialized nations, the United States and New Zealand are also the countries with the highest average BMI and the most obese, even in cross-gender consideration. The antipode of the developed world is Japan, where the average BMI and related obesity problems are lowest. Overall, developing and emerging economies such as the Asian states of Bangladesh and India or the African Republic of Congo, according to the WHO, on average have the least overweight population.

Overweight: Germany in international comparison
To the weight of the population in Germany it seems the study results ordered relatively well. Although Germany's women have an average BMI of 25.7 in 2008, and men with an average BMI of 27.2 are significantly above the global average, Germany is only in tenth place and at the international level with the number of fat men Women are only 17th in the world. According to the long-term study, women in Switzerland are the slimmest in Europe, followed by France and Italy. Looking at the total global population, the average BMI of women is 23.8 and men's BMI is 24.1, the researchers report. In the affluent regions men are more often overweight, in the poorer countries women, according to the study. According to an OECD study published last year, every sixth German is obese.

Obesity causes numerous health problems
Both diet and lifestyle changes favor the significant increase in obesity, according to the study. „We know that changes in diet and physical activity have contributed to the worldwide spread of obesity“, emphasized Gretchen Stevens of the World Health Organization. The obesity problems can be followed very accurately and region-specific with the help of the long-term study, however remains unclear, „which measures can effectively reduce obesity“, explained the expert. Therefore, all measures should be taken which can help to reverse the current trend or to limit the pathological consequences of being overweight. Because obesity and obesity (obesity) can already lead to serious health consequences in children, which may become increasingly severe in the course of life. For example, according to the WHO, the risk of cardiovascular disease, damage to the blood vessels and calcified arteries, as well as the risk of diabetes or the risk of dementia due to obesity are clearly increased. In addition, increase the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes.

Overweight due to poor diet and lack of exercise
According to the experts, the high number of obese people is significantly influenced by poor diet and a widespread lack of exercise, whereby appropriate nutrition and exercise initiatives offer a first approach to counteract existing problems. However, according to the OECD, which also dealt with the problem more intensively in the last year, further political approaches are needed. The proposed traffic light labeling of food or exercise initiatives, for example, support the rental of bicycles, so that short distances can be covered with their own physical strength, are not sufficient in the opinion of the OECD experts. Rather, a culture of healthy eating and an active lifestyle must be established with intensive political support. Education campaigns and guaranteed individual counseling, for example by the family doctor, would, according to the OECD experts, be a good way to counteract the spread of obesity - because „only in this way can politics change the claim that people have on themselves and their own fitness.“ However, the food industry must also make its contribution and adapt food production in line with health requirements. (fp, 04.02.2011)

Read about being overweight:
OECD: Every sixth German is obese
Ten percent of new school students are overweight

Picture: Gerd Altmann