Obesity Facts

According to WHO, the latest projections indicate that globally in 2005:

* approximately 1.6 billion adults (age 15+) were overweight; * at least 400 million adults were obese.

WHO further projects that by 2015, approximately 2.3 billion adults will be overweight and more than 700 million will be obese.

Obesity is a new global health treat in the developed nations, particularly USA, UK and Australia. You can check out the prevalence of obesity in your country using the WHO Global Inforbase.

In simple term, obesity is the excessive accumulation of adipose tissue to an extent that health is impaired. There are various way to measure obesity.

Body Mass Index (BMI) is the standard measurement of choice for many health professionals. BMI is based on a weight-to-height ratio. BMI = Weight(kg)/Height(m)^2. Overweight is defined as a BMI>=25 and <30 kg/m². Obesity is defined as a BMI >=30 kg/m².

Waist circumference is another widely used measurement to determine abdominal fat content. An excess of abdominal fat, when out of proportion to total body fat, is considered a predictor of risk factors related to obesity. Men with a waist measurement exceeding 40 inches are considered at risk. Women are at risk with a waist measurement of 35 inches or greater.

Overweight and obesity lead to serious health consequences. Risk increases progressively as BMI increases. Raised body mass index is a major risk factor for chronic diseases such as:

• Cardiovascular disease (mainly heart disease and stroke) - already the world's number one cause of death, killing 17 million people each year.
• Diabetes - which has rapidly become a global epidemic. WHO projects that diabetes deaths will increase by more than 50% worldwide in the next 10 years.
• Musculoskeletal disorders - especially osteoarthritis.
• Some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon).