Obesity, long a plague of industrialized nations, can weigh heavily on developing countries too as those nations amid economic advances that create more urbanization and a shift in eating habits. Experts gathered this week in Washington for the second annual American obesity association conference sounded the alarm about the situation in poorer countries where malnutrition, not obesity, is usually the cause for concern. The epidemic of adult obesity is a worldwide phenomenon, here of course, but also in asia, latin america and africa, especially in urban areas, Said larry atkinson, president of the association and a professor of medicine and nutritional sciences at the university of Wisconsin.
Obesity -- which is linked to numerous medical problems and premature deaths -- is defined by experts through a Body mass index Calculated by a formula using height and weight. An index of 25 is considered overweight, and 30 or greater is considered obese. Obesity in Asia is accelerating with recent Chinese statistics showing 12 percent of men and 16 percent of women are obese. In Malaysia, three men in 10 are obese and in the Philippines, it's one in 10.

Bureau Report