Over the past 4 decades, the global prevalence of obesity (body mass index or BMI
[calculated as weight (kg)/height (m2)] of 30) has increased dramatically.
1
,
2
According to 2008 estimates from the World Health Organization, 500 million adults
aged 20 or older in the world are obese and an additional 900 million are overweight
(BMI of 25.0-29.9).
3
Thus, 35% of all adults worldwide are overweight or obese, which represents a doubling
of obesity rates since 1980.
World Health Organization. Obesity and Overweight. Fact Sheet 311. Updated March 2013. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en. Accessed September 24, 2013.
3
In men, obesity prevalence rates are highest in North America, Australasia, and Southern
Latin America and in women, prevalence rates are greatest in Africa, North America,
and the Middle East.
World Health Organization. Obesity and Overweight. Fact Sheet 311. Updated March 2013. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en. Accessed September 24, 2013.
2
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 11, 2013
Accepted:
November 6,
2013
Received:
October 1,
2013
Footnotes
See page 471 for disclosure information.
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
