Finance

Some of the responsibility for the rise in obesity is likely to lie with the emergence of cheaper convenience foods in the 1970s. The rise in incomes and cheaper food has led to an increase in food consumption worldwide according to a 2010 study. However, obesity now costs health services $2 trillion per year, almost the same as smoking according to WHO databases. By 2013, obesity levels had globally increased to 36.9% in men and 38% in women from 28.8% and 29.8% respectively in 1980.

Food

Attitudes to food have changed in the Western world in correlation with the changes in lifestyle and traditions. A report in the Biomedical Journal indicates that portion size has increased significantly since the 1950s. Decreasing portion sizes could reduce energy intake by 22-29% in US adults. The use of herbal supplements and vitamins have had to take a larger role in our well-being to replace nutrient loss through poor diet.

Awareness

Many countries have a different stance on obesity. Family members being overweight has positive connotations in some Sub-Saharan populations for example, as this is a sign that the family is adequately provided for. Education may be the key to solving the widespread problem. Evidence suggests that it is a widespread issue that requires worldwide initiatives to be implemented for prevention and to save on the financial burden of obesity. Attitudes to food and health may need to be altered according to countries’ cultural values, which would require greater involvement of leaders in the medical and political fields – Jane Sandwood