Abstract
In 1998, officials of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global epidemic of obesity, recognizing the steady rise in its prevalence in both developed and developing countries since about 1980. Obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI in kg/m2) value of at least 30, doubled among US adults from 1980 to 2000, and tripled in children in the United States and other countries, including England, China, Thailand, and Korea. In women, the prevalence of obesity in Albania, Jordan, Panama, Paraguay, and South Africa is equal to or greater than that in the United States. Although some experts point to increased food intake, including of fast foods, and decreased activity, these factors do not explain the rise of obesity in developing countries.
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