-As countries get richer, their inhabitants get fatter
Obesity rates are climbing across the world's most developed countries, including Australia, France, Mexico and Switzerland, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development says in a new report.
The rates remained stable in other developed nations like the U.S., Canada, Italy and Korea, the study said.
The 2008 recession forced many families in harder-hit nations to cut back spending on food, especially healthier but often more expensive options like fruits and vegetables, according to the report.
But even in areas that fared better in the recession, certain groups of people, particularly women and those who are less educated and have lower incomes, were also more likely to be obese, the OECD found.
"The economic crisis is likely to have contributed to further growth in obesity," OECD researchers wrote.
The report, based on a review of data from 10 OECD countries, will be presented Wednesday at the European Congress on Obesity in Bulgaria.
Most of the OECD's 34 members are wealthy countries, although some emerging economies such as Mexico and Turkey are also included. The group does not include China, India or other bigger developing nations.
Denizens in developed countries are becoming more obese, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has found, due to the financial crisis or certain demographics’ lower incomes.
Rising obesity rates can make it harder for governments to grapple with the costs of chronic conditions linked to obesity such as diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.
Current efforts aimed at preventing further weight gain, including using financial incentives to boost wellness or increasing basic health exams, are improving, but more needs to be done, the OECD said.
One bright spot in the OECD's review: although on average one in five children in developed countries is overweight, "more countries have managed to stabilize or even slightly reduce rates of child obesity than they have of adult obesity."
Obesity rates are climbing across the world's most developed countries, including Australia, France, Mexico and Switzerland, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development says in a new report.
The rates remained stable in other developed nations like the U.S., Canada, Italy and Korea, the study said.
The 2008 recession forced many families in harder-hit nations to cut back spending on food, especially healthier but often more expensive options like fruits and vegetables, according to the report.
But even in areas that fared better in the recession, certain groups of people, particularly women and those who are less educated and have lower incomes, were also more likely to be obese, the OECD found.
"The economic crisis is likely to have contributed to further growth in obesity," OECD researchers wrote.
The report, based on a review of data from 10 OECD countries, will be presented Wednesday at the European Congress on Obesity in Bulgaria.
Most of the OECD's 34 members are wealthy countries, although some emerging economies such as Mexico and Turkey are also included. The group does not include China, India or other bigger developing nations.
Denizens in developed countries are becoming more obese, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has found, due to the financial crisis or certain demographics’ lower incomes.
Rising obesity rates can make it harder for governments to grapple with the costs of chronic conditions linked to obesity such as diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.
Current efforts aimed at preventing further weight gain, including using financial incentives to boost wellness or increasing basic health exams, are improving, but more needs to be done, the OECD said.
One bright spot in the OECD's review: although on average one in five children in developed countries is overweight, "more countries have managed to stabilize or even slightly reduce rates of child obesity than they have of adult obesity."
No comments:
Post a Comment