Obesity has almost doubled worldwide since 1980, but blood pressure and cholesterol levels have improved in many high-income countries, experts say today.
Three studies in The Lancet reveal that more than one in ten of the world’s adult population – and more women than men – was obese in 2008.
An estimated 205 million men and 297 million women were obese, the study led by Prof Majid Ezzati, Imperial College London, UK and Dr Goodarz Danaei, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA, said.
But the percentage of the world’s population with uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure) fell a little between 1980 and 2008, particularly among Australasian women North American men.
However, because of population growth and ageing, the actual number of people with uncontrolled hypertension rose from 600 million in 1980 to nearly 1 billion in 2008.
Average levels of total blood cholesterol fell in North America, Australasia and Europe, but increased in East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific region.
Professor Ezzati said: "Our results show that overweight and obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are no longer Western problems or problems of wealthy nations. Their presence has shifted towards low and middle income countries, making them global problems."
The studies found for BMI that:
- 9.8 per cent of men and 13.8 per cent of women in the world were obese (with a BMI above 30 kg/m2) in 2008, compared with 4.8 per cent for men and 7.9 per cent for women in 1980;
- Pacific island nations had the highest average BMI in the world, reaching 34-35 kg/m2;
- Among high income countries, USA has the single highest BMI (over 28 kg/m2 for men and women); Japan has the lowest BMI (about 22 kg/m2 for women and 24 kg/m2 for men.
Among high income countries, Portugal, Finland and Norway had the highest blood pressure, but South Korea, Cambodia, Australia, Canada and USA had the lowest.
Western European countries like Greenland, Iceland, Andorra, and Germany had the highest cholesterol levels in the world; African countries recorded the lowest.
Dr Gretchen Stevens, of WHO, said: “We know that changes in diet and in physical activity have contributed to the worldwide rise in obesity, but it remains unclear which policies would effectively reduce obesity."
Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “It’s an ugly, upward trend but it can be reversed with effective policies and sensible lifestyle changes, supported by important developments in medicines.
“Global inequalities still exist but it’s not all bad news. We’ve seen marked progress in reducing blood pressure and cholesterol across the developed world, proving lifestyle and medical interventions can work.”
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