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The Global Obesity Epidemic
Virtually every country has or will have a weight problem
By Alvin M. Hattal
Until recently, obesity was considered to be a somewhat benign condition that often went untreated. Today it’s becoming a worldwide epidemic, recognized as a major cause of premature death and spurring the development of expensive, new treatments. It affects more children than any other disease, experts say. In the US alone, where overweight children are said to be a time bomb of medical and social ills, the cost is $100-billion annually. Some 65 million Americans between 20 and 74 years of age--one third of the adult population--and one out of every four children, are reportedly obese, defined as more than 20 percent over the standard, desirable body weight. That’s a higher proportion than in any other developed country. And every year, some 300,000 Americans die from the results of this malady. You’d never know it from the fashion ads, but virtually every country in the world either has or expects to have a similar problem. In France, where people are said to be eating more and more like Americans, the proportion of overweight children has tripled since the1950s and is now10 percent. The average Briton is two pounds heavier than 10 years ago, and 15-20 percent of middle-age Western Europeans are obese. Eastern Europe is even worse, with 40-50 percent obesity rates among women in some countries. In Japan, the shift from sashimi to teriyaki burgers has left 15 million of the population of 125 million severely overweight. Even in relatively poor nations people are getting fatter. The physiology of East Asians is expected to double their chances of suffering a stroke owing to obesity. As the problem increases, so do the pressures to lose weight--from one’s desire to be fashionably slim to the growing awareness of the health risks. Cultures vary, of course; in developing countries such as China and India, flab can be considered a sign of affluence, and many of America’s newly fat include couch potatoes as well as those too poor to pay for slimming help. So, despite the fact that fat is replacing nicotine as the largest avoidable cause of premature death, the many-faceted weight-reduction industry is failing to stem the rising gorge. Nevertheless, hope springs eternal. Despite the New England Journal of Medicine’s warning that the cure for obesity may be worse than the condition, the search for solutions will continue; it now seems likely to focus more on health and fitness, rather than just thinness, starting with: > Better nutrition education. > Recognition of the social, economic, and genetic factors that contribute to the problem, resulting in more realistic goals. > Acknowledging that the problems and the solutions are rooted in the physical differences in the individuals concerned. > Better quality control by drug manufacturers, stricter prescribing by doctors, and government oversight. > A major public-awareness program that emphasizes prevention techniques rather than treatment drugs. > Rethinking public policy toward obesity. (Washington provoked heated controversy when it redefined overweight this year and issued new guidelines that put an estimated 29 million Americans in that category. Some think the new standards will put the goal of normal weight beyond their reach.) > Early training to get children to develop good eating and fitness habits. #
Sidebar:
Fat-schmat--who cares, as long as it tastes good! Two out of three Americans say they’ve tried to cut back on dietary fat, according to a U.S. News/Bozell poll, and many people check the fat content of food before they buy. But nutrition professionals disagree over the risks and benefits of maintaining some fat in our diets. Many think the body has a set point, an ideal weight that resists its ability to gain or lose much mass for a prolonged time. True or not, tubbies are now in the majority (54.4 percent of adult Americans, including 22.5 percent who are obese), and many of them are tired of hiding in their homes and in polyester clothing, putting off buying quality clothes because they think of themselves as temporarily fat. Having come to terms with their size, they’re an attractive market for a host of products, one that is growing, in every sense of the word. Magazines like Mode and Big Beautiful Woman cater to them. Television programs such as Roseanne showcase them. Manufacturers, including Liz Claiborne, Anne Klein, and Ungaro, create special designs for the full-figured woman; they’ve even changed the size system, turning 16s into 10s, and 12s into 6s--at least on the size tags. After all, by today’s standards, even Marilyn Monroe would have been considered--er--zoftig. Why, then, you might ask, do magazines for large women opt for thinner-looking pictures? Readers want reality, but not too much.
Implication:
Science and medicine are fighting a rear-guard, losing battle against flab. People the world over have either failed to comprehend the significance of the evidence that obesity kills or else have given up the fight against an epidemic that claims children among its victims. While some individuals seem genetically protected, survival for many may well depend on massive programs of enlightenment to radically alter the self-destructive habits that have become a major part of our lifestyle.
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