title: The worldwide epidemic of female obesity.
abstract: The rapidly rising number of individuals who are overweight and obese has been called a worldwide epidemic of obesity with >35% of adults today considered to be overweight or obese. Women are more likely to be overweight and obese than their male counterparts, which has far-reaching effects on reproductive health and specifically pregnancy, with obese women facing an increased risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, operative delivery, fetal macrosomia, and neonatal morbidity. The etiology of obesity is highly complex encompassing genetic, environmental, physiologic, cultural, political, and socioeconomic factors, making it challenging to develop effective interventions on both a local and global scale. This article describes the extent and the cost of the obesity epidemic, which, although historically seen as a disease of high-income countries, is now clearly a global epidemic that impacts low- and middle-income countries and indigenous groups who bear an ever-increasing burden of this disease.
authors.affiliation: University of British Columbia, Northern Medical Program, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada. Electronic address: Sheona.Mitchell-Foster@unbc.ca.
authors.forename: Sheona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: British Columbia Women's Hospital and Health Center, B242, 4500 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada. Electronic address: dshaw@cw.bc.ca.
authors.forename: Dorothy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shaw
mesh_terms: D019049:Developed Countries; D003906:Developing Countries; D058872:Epidemics; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: LMIC; obesity; reproductive health