More Than 10 Percent of World’s Population Is Obese, Study Finds

 

More than 10 percent of the world’s population is now obese, a marked rise over the last 30 years that is leading to widespread health problems and millions of premature deaths, according to a new study, the most comprehensive research done on the subject.

Published Monday in The New England Journal of Medicine, the study showed that the problem had swept the globe, including regions that have historically had food shortages, like Africa.

The study, compiled by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington and funded by the Gates Foundation, looked at 195 countries, essentially the world’s population, finding that rates of obesity at least doubled in 73 countries — including Turkey, Venezuela and Bhutan — from 1980 to 2015, and “continuously increased in most other countries.”

Analyzing some 1,800 data sets from around the world, researchers found that excess weight played a role in four million deaths in 2015, from heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and other factors.

The per capita death rate was up 28 percent since 1990 and, notably, 40 percent of the deaths were among people who were overweight but not heavy enough to be classified as obese.

The study defined obese as a body mass index of 30 or higher and overweight as a B.M.I. from 25 to 29.

By those measures, nearly 604 million adults worldwide are obese and 108 million children, the authors reported. Obesity rates among children are rising faster in many countries than among adults.

In the United States, 12.5 percent of children were obese, up from 5 percent in 1980. Combining children and adults, the United States had the dubious distinction of having the largest increase in percentile points of any country, a jump of 16 percentage points to 26.5 percent of the overall population.

A range of nutrition scientists, including ones who differ significantly on some issues in the field, uniformly praised the breadth, depth and quality of the study, and the significance of its message.

“Its global implications are huge,” said Barry Popkin, a professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina. He echoed others in saying the findings tend to also affirm smaller, more regional studies.

“This study shows what we know: No country in the globe has reduced overweight or obesity levels. This is astounding given the huge health and economic costs linked with overweight and obesity.”

The study largely did not go deeply into the causes of obesity, but the authors said the growing accessibility of inexpensive, nutrient-poor packaged foods was probably a major factor and the general slowdown in physical activity was probably not.

“The change in physical activity preceded the global increase in obesity,” said Dr. Ashkan Afshin, assistant professor at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and lead author of the study.

“We have more processed food, more energy-dense food, more intense marketing of food products, and these products are more available and more accessible,” he added. “The food environment seems to be the main driver of obesity.”

Others agreed on the availability of poor diet, noting that such food can often be the most accessible and affordable.

“What people eat is the key factor in whether they become obese or not,” said Adam Drewnowsk, director of the Center for Public Health Nutrition at the University of Washington, who was not affiliated with the study, which he deemed “brilliant work by the best people in the business.”

He said getting people healthy food was easier said than done.

“It is all very nice to talk about the need to eat less unhealthy foods and more healthy foods,” he said. But “unhealthy foods cost less; healthier foods often cost more. People eat what they can afford.”

The research characterized growth of obesity in two ways, one that looked at countries that had the biggest leap in percentage points.

After the United States, other countries with particularly significant jumps in percent of the population who are obese included Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Egypt.

But other countries had rates that rose much faster, even though they remained lower as an overall percent of the population. Broadly, the fastest rises were found in Latin America, Africa and China.

In China, for example, less than 1 percent of the population was obesein 1980, but now more than 5 percent is, a fivefold increase. The rise in childhood obesity in China roughly paralleled that overall change.

Three countries in Africa — Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea-Bissau — had the fastest growth. Burkina Faso, the country with the fastest growth in the world in obesity, began in 1980 with around one-third of a percent of its population as obese. Its rate rose to nearly 7 percent of the population.

“The future health and economic burden facing all these countries is immense,” Dr. Popkin said.

Regarding the overall health implications of the study, one point made by the researchers is that there is a good news/bad news pattern emerging.

The good news is that the disease burden caused by obesity is actually falling in some of the wealthiest nations. In the United States, the death rates associated with obesity fell from 63 per 100,000 in 1990 (the baseline year for this measure) to 61 per 100,000 people, reflecting medications that deal with the effects of obesity, like hypertension.

The bad news is those remedies are not available in developing countries or are available only to the wealthiest people, leading to growing rates of associated deaths and without a clear solution.

“Most of the obese people are dying because of cardiovascular disease and diabetes,” said Dr. Afshin, lead author of the study. That has been somewhat mitigated in the United States “and other developed nations” with the use of drugs.

“But we cannot have all people on drugs,” he said. “Ideally, we want to go to the root causes and address the problem of overeating.”

To date, he said, no country “has been able to control the food environment, which seems to be the main driver of obesity.”

Source         NYTimes

Obesity Associated With 8 Other Cancers!!!

A new study strengthens the link between obesity and cancer, after identifying a further eight cancers that are more likely to develop with excess weight, including stomach, pancreas, and liver cancers.

But there is some good news; researchers say losing the excess weight and preventing further weight gain can help lower the risk of these cancers.

Dr. Graham Colditz, of the Washington University School of Medicine, and colleagues publish their findings in The New England Journal of Medicine.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980, affecting more than 600 million adults in 2014.

As a result, these individuals are at increased risk of other health conditions, including some forms of cancer.

In previous research, Dr. Colditz and team identified a link between excess weight and increased risk of colon, esophageal, kidney, breast, and uterine cancers.

Now, the researchers have added another eight to the list.

'It's time to take our health and our diets seriously'

The team's findings come from an in-depth review of more than 1,000 studies conducted by the WHO's International Agency for Cancer on Research (IARC), which assessed the link between weight and cancer risk.

The researchers found sufficient evidence to suggest excess weight can increase the risk of eight cancers, in addition to the five already identified.

These cancers include:

*Gall bladder cancer

*Liver cancer

*Meningioma - a form of brain tumor

*Multiple myeloma - a type of blood cancer

*Ovarian cancer

*Pancreatic cancer

*Thyroid cancer.

For the majority of these cancers, the researchers found that the higher an individual's body mass index (BMI), the higher their cancer risk.

These findings, says Dr. Colditz, show that overweight and obesity is a higher burden for cancer risk than previously thought.

"Many of the newly identified cancers linked to excess weight haven't been on people's radar screens as having a weight component," he adds.

What is more, he says the results highlight the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle.

"Significant numbers of the U.S. and the world's population are overweight," notes Dr. Colditz.

"This is another wake-up call. It's time to take our health and our diets seriously."

"Lifestyle factors such as eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight and exercising, in addition to not smoking, can have a significant impact on reducing cancer risk. Public health efforts to combat cancer should focus on these things that people have some control over." Dr. Graham Colditz

He admits that, for many people, losing weight is challenging, but these individuals should not be disheartened.

"Rather than getting discouraged and giving up, those struggling to take off weight could instead focus on avoiding more weight gain," he adds.

While the study did not identify the precise mechanisms for the link between excess weight and cancer, the researchers note that excess body fat can cause overproduction of the hormones estrogen, testosterone, and insulin, which can trigger inflammation and fuel cancer growth.

Source:     Medical News Today

Obesity

Obesity is a medical condition caused by the accumulation of excess fat in the body to such an extent that it negatively affects health.

The common causes of obesity are a combination of increased food intake with very little physical activity. Though some persons may be genetically predisposed to it.

Other causes include hormonal imbalance, mental disorder and certain medications.

On average, obese people have a greater energy expenditure than their thin counterparts due to the energy required to maintain an increased body mass

People are considered to be obese when their body mass index (BMI) - (a measurement obtained by dividing a person's weight by the square of the person's height) is more than 30 Kilograms per square meter.

Aside the excessive sweating on little exertion that visits obese people, they are also prone to certain foul smelling body odours.

Also obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases such type 2 Diabetes, Osteoarthritis, heart disease, obstructive sleep apnea and certain types of cancers.

Health care authorities view obesity as the most serious public health problem of the 21st Century.

Even though in times past, obesity was courted as it was thought to be a symbol of wealth (men) and fertility (females) but in this day and age, obesity is stigmatized and sufferers tend to become depressed and might die from loneliness.

Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with increasing rates in adults and children.

In 2014, 600 million adults (13%) and 42 million children under the age of five were obese. Obesity is more common in women than men.

 A good control of diet and nutrition will help to prevent the development of obesity; however, once it has developed, a structural realignment of food, diet, nutrition and exercise would surely help to fight the battle against fat accumulation.

Diet quality can be improved by reducing the consumption of energy-dense foods, such as those high in fat and sugars, and by increasing the intake of dietary fiber

Certain medications can also be used to treat obesity and if those fail, surgery can be considered.

If you have a sweet tooth for all things sweet - carbonated drinks, cakes, pasta, sweets, energy drinks (that do not provide any energy), then you need to watch it henceforth

Sugary Drinks Linked to Over 180,000 Deaths Worldwide

By Dr. Mekola

Don’t Fall for the Latest 'Designer Water' Fad...

As a general rule, I advise using water as your primary form of beverage. Many simply do not drink enough water these days. But don’t be fooled by slick marketing. 

There are a number of “designer water” products available, and none of them can really beat plain, pure water. 

For example, on April 1, Coca-Cola released its latest enhanced water product called “Fruitwater,” described as “a great tasting, naturally flavored zero calorie sparking water beverage.”7 Despite its name, the product does NOT contain any juice. 

Rather it’s sweetened with sucralose and “natural fruit flavors.” Sucralose (Splenda) is an artificial sweetener that, like aspartame, is associated with a host of side effects, including:

• Gastrointestinal problems 

• Seizures, dizziness and migraines 

• Blurred vision 

• Allergic reactions 

• Blood sugar increases and weight gain 

Artificially Sweetened Water is a Recipe for Poor Health

Different artificial sweeteners have been found to wreak havoc in a number of different ways. Aspartame, for example, has a long list of studies indicating its harmful effects, ranging from brain damage to pre-term delivery. 

Sucralose has been found to be particularly damaging to your intestines. A study8 published in 2008 found that sucralose: 

• Reduces the amount of good bacteria in your intestines by 50 percent 

• Increases the pH level in your intestines, and 

• Affects a glycoprotein in your body that can have crucial health effects, particularly if you're on certain medications like chemotherapy, or treatments for AIDS and certain heart conditions 

In response to this study, James Turner, chairman of the national consumer education group Citizens for Health issued the following statement:9

"The report makes it clear that the artificial sweetener Splenda and its key component sucralose pose a threat to the people who consume the product. Hundreds of consumers have complained to us about side effects from using Splenda and this study ... confirms that the chemicals in the little yellow package should carry a big red warning label."

That was nearly five years ago, yet many are still in the dark about these health risks. 

Having healthy gut flora is absolutely vital for your optimal health, so clearly, any product that can destroy up to half of your healthy intestinal bacteria can pose a critical risk to your health! 

Many are already deficient in healthy bacteria due to consuming too many highly processed foods. 

This is why I recommend eating fermented vegetables every day, or at the very least taking a high quality probiotic. 

Believe me, if you continuously destroy up to 50 percent of your gut flora by regularly consuming sucralose, then poor health is virtually guaranteed. 

So please, do not make “Fruitwater” a staple drink thinking you’re doing something beneficial for your health... 

Remember, pure water IS a zero calorie drink. 

You cannot find a beverage that contains fewer calories. 

If you think about it, why on earth would you choose artificially sweetened water over regular mineral water? If you want some flavor, just squeeze a little bit of fresh lemon or lime into mineral water as they have virtually no fructose in them.

Unfortunately, most public health agencies and nutritionists in the United States still recommend these toxic artificial sweeteners as acceptable and even preferred alternatives to sugar, which is at best confusing and at worst seriously damaging the health of those who listen to this well-intentioned but foolish advice. 

Contrary to popular belief, research has shown that artificial sweeteners can stimulate your appetite, increase carbohydrate cravings, and stimulate fat storage and weight gain. 

In fact, diet sodas may actually double your risk of obesity. So much for being an ally in the battle against the bulge...

The Case Against ALL Bottled Waters... 

While we’re on the subject of commercially available water products, let me remind you that bottled water in general is a bad idea.

Not only are you paying about 1,900 percent more for the same or similar water you get straight from your tap, water stored in plastic bottles have other health risks as well. 

The plastic often used to make water bottles contains a variety of health-harming chemicals that can easily leach out and contaminate the water, such as:

• Cancer-causing PFOAs 

• PBDEs (flame retardant chemicals), which have been linked to reproductive problems and altered thyroid levels 

• The reproductive toxins, phthalates 

• BPA, which disrupts the endocrine system by mimicking the female hormone estrogen 

If you leave your water bottle in a hot car, or reuse it, your exposure is magnified because heat and stress increase the amount of chemicals that leach out of the plastic. 

So the container your water comes in needs to receive just as much attention as the water itself, and plastic is simply not a wise choice from a health perspective … not to mention the extreme amounts of toxic waste produced!

What’s the Healthiest Beverage You Can Drink?

Sweetened beverages, whether it’s sweetened with sugar, HFCS, naturally-occurring fructose, or artificial sweeteners, are among the worst culprits in the fight against obesity and related health problems, including diabetes, heart- and liver disease, just to name a few. 

Remember that sweetened beverages also include flavored milk products, bottled teas, and “enhanced” water products. 

Ditching ALL of these types of beverages can go a long way toward reducing your risk for chronic health problems and weight gain. So what should you drink?

Your best most cost effective choice is to drink filtered tap water. 

The caveat though is to make sure you filter your tap water.

I've written a large number of articles on the hazards of tap water, from fluoride to dangerous chemicals and drugs, to toxic disinfection byproducts and heavy metals, so having a good filtration system in place is more of a necessity than a luxury in most areas. Remember, nothing beats pure water when it comes to serving your body’s needs. 

If you really feel the urge for a carbonated beverage, try sparkling mineral water with a squirt of lime or lemon juice.

Another option to consider is to bottle your own water from a gravity-fed spring. 

There's a great website called FindaSpring.com where you can find natural springs in your area. 

This is a great way to get back to nature and teach your children about health and the sources of clean water. 

The best part is that most of these spring water sources are free! 

Just remember to bring either clear polyethylene or glass containers to collect the water so no unsafe chemicals can contaminate your water on the way home. If you choose to use glass bottles, be sure to wrap them in towels to keep them from breaking in the car. 

ADDENDUM

SOYAPLUS PROVIDES A CREDIBLE AND VERITABLE PROTEIN RICH SUBSTITUTE FOR ALL SUGARY AND ARTIFICIALLY SWEETENED DRINKS

Parents’ Denial Fuels Childhood Obesity Epidemic

Not only was the 16-year-old boy 60 pounds overweight, but a blood test showed he might have fatty liver disease. At last, his mother took him to a pediatric weight management clinic in New Haven. But she did not at all like the dietitian’s advice.

“I can’t believe you’re telling me I can’t buy Chips Ahoy! cookies,” said the mother, herself a nurse.

This was hardly the first time that Mary Savoye, the exasperated dietitian who recalled this exchange, had counseled parents who seem unable to acknowledge the harsh truth about their child’s weight.

“Often they don’t want to accept it because change means a lot of work for everyone, including themselves,” Ms. Savoye said.

Despite widespread publicity about the obesity epidemic, parents increasingly seem to be turning a blind eye as their children put on pounds. In a recent study in Childhood Obesity, more than three-quarters of parents of pre-school-age obese sons and nearly 70 percent of parents of obese daughters described their children as “about the right weight.”

The researchers also compared these 2012 survey results with those from a similar survey in 1994. Not only were the children in the recent survey significantly heavier, but the likelihood that parents could identify their child’s weight accurately had declined about 30 percent.

Dr. David L. Katz, the director of Yale’s Prevention Research Center, has coined a word for the problem: “oblivobesity.”

“Parents cannot ignore the threat of obesity to our children and still hope to fix it,” he wrote in an editorial accompanying the new study.

One reason parents may have difficulty perceiving their child’s weight is because of the “new normal”: Throughout the developed world and even in some developing countries, children are generally becoming heavier.

But in an interview, Dr. Katz also cited parents for “willful, genuine denial.”

Once a parent acknowledges the child has a problem, he said, “You have to deal with it.”

“ ‘Do I become the food police? Do I have to change my diet and walk the walk?’ ” he added. “So, often, it’s easier to pretend the problem’s not there.”

Other experts counter that the problem can be complicated and subtle, the result of family dynamics. Perhaps the parents are resigned to being overweight. Perhaps there are slender siblings, and the parents cannot figure out a diet that fits all.

“Denial can be a coping mechanism,” said Arnaldo Perez, a doctoral candidate at the University of Alberta who researches what motivates families to seek help for their overweight children. Before judging them outright, providers should explore parents’ possible feelings of guilt and failure, he said.

Denial may also be a form of wishful thinking.

It is “natural for a parent to want to think optimistically about their child,” Dr. Thomas N. Robinson, a professor of pediatrics and director of the Center for Healthy Weight at Stanford and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, wrote in an email.

“I have parents tell me that they waited to address it because they thought their child would ‘grow out’ of their extra weight,” he added.

It is only now, as Bonnie Ryan of Bridgeport, Conn., looks at old photographs of her grandson, 12, that she sees how the weight accumulated over the years. At 7, he was “chunky,” she remembers thinking. And at 8, chunkier still.

But his father grew to 6 feet 4 inches tall and about 220 pounds. She hoped her grandson would stretch out, too. The boy’s parents separated. Lonely, he kept eating.

Shortly after her grandson’s checkup at 11, she and her son met with the pediatrician. Her grandson, the doctor said, was 5-foot-1, 200 pounds and had pre-diabetes.

“You think he’s a little overweight and then suddenly, ‘Oh my God,’ ” she said. They could no longer look away.

She has enrolled the boy in Bright Bodies, a healthy lifestyle program in New Haven, sponsored by Yale.

A child’s weight problem may escape notice for any number of reasons. Many clothing styles obscure shape, for instance, particularly for boys.

“When they take their loosefitting shirts and pants off in the exam room, you see just how a tremendous amount of body fat can be hidden,” Dr. Robinson said.

And when parents believe their children are active, they are more likely to consider their child’s weight to be normal, studies have shown. But parents often overestimate their children’s physical activity.

Other confounding factors include immigrant status and socioeconomic standing.

Dr. Francine R. Kaufman, a pediatrics professor at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, said that among new immigrants from countries where starvation is a reality, “Even the 3-, 5- and 7-year-old can’t be heavy enough for abuela. Nourishing and nurturing children is often the same.”