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World faces obesity crisis
The number of overweight people in the world has overtaken the number of malnourished for the first time, with a billion people now considered heavier than advised – almost one in six of the world’s population.
The figure – announced at a conference of the International Association of Agricultural Economists held this month in Brisbane, Australia – includes around 300 million people worldwide who fall into the obese category.
Britain has not escaped the trend, with more than 14 million adults and children forecast to be obese by the end of the decade.
Between 1993 and 2004, obesity levels rose from 13 to 24 per cent among men and from 16 to 24 per cent among women. A UK government report, due out tomorrow, is expected to predict a further rise to 33 per cent of men by 2010.
Obesity is already thought to cause 9,000 premature deaths a year in the UK, costing the NHS £1bn; thousands more cases of heart disease, cancer and diabetes can be expected if obesity levels continue to rise.
Experts say the growth in obesity is largely down to poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyles, and the Department of Health has stressed that it is ultimately down to individuals to take action.
“We have got to take responsibility for our own health,” said a spokesperson yesterday.
“The government can only do so much and we hope the figures we put out tomorrow will show the situation we and our children could face in the future if we don’t take action now.”