In the late 1960s and early 1970s the big fear was that the developing world was doomed to perpetual poverty with attendant famines. Today the problem in many countries — including developing ones — is just the opposite: obesity is a growing health problem around the world.
The BBC reported this month that the International Obesity Taskforce estimates as many as 1.7 billion people worldwide may be obese. Other estimates put this number close to 800 million, but the International Obesity Taskforce’s Philip James argues that such numbers underestimate obesity among Asian people.
At issue is the body mass index. A body mass index of over 25 is usually considered overweight, but James argues that Asians show negative health impacts from BMI’s over 23.3. Frankly the links between BMIs of 25 or so and health effects are pretty tenuous, and James’ leap to claim that a 23.3 might be dangerous in Asians seems like a lot of grasping for straws.
Still it is fascinating that at the beginning of the 21st century, obesity is in many parts of the world a much bigger risk than hunger.
Source:
Obesity epidemic tops $1.7bn. The BBC, March 17, 2003.