title: The global burden of obesity and the challenges of prevention.
abstract: The prevalence of obesity is increasing at an alarming rate in many parts of the world. About 2 billion people are overweight and one third of them obese. The plight of the most affected populations, like those in high-income countries in North America, Australasia and Europe, has been well publicized. However, the more recent increases in population obesity in low- and middle-income countries that are now increasingly being observed have been less recognized. Based on the existing prevalence and trend data and the epidemiological evidence linking obesity with a range of physical and psychosocial health conditions, it is reasonable to describe obesity as a public health crisis that severely impairs the health and quality of life of people and adds considerably to national health-care budgets. Intersectoral action to manage and prevent obesity is urgently required to reverse current trends.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jacob C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Seidell
authors.forename: Jutka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Halberstadt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States; D055105:Waist Circumference