Making us fat (and sick)

Abstract

In May this year, the Lancet published an analysis of global, regional and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980 - 2013, for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. The findings are salutary. Worldwide, the proportion of adults with a body mass index of ≥25 kg/m² increased between 1980 and 2013 from 28.8% to 36.9% in men, and from 29.8% to 38.0% in women. The prevalence of obesity has also substantially increased among children and adolescents in both developed countries and developing countries.