Obesity, Diet and Weight Loss News from Around the World

For years, obesity was a problem that plagued primarily affluent Western nations. However, over the course of the last several decades, the process of globalization has changed the diets of people all over the world -- and not always for the better. As Western-style fast food franchises and processed, packaged food products have begun to gain worldwide popularity, more countries are witnessing the advent of obesity problems. The prevalence of obesity and overweight has risen significantly in Asia, which has long been home to lean populations with largely healthy diets.

Although this troubling trend does not bode well for international public health, it has sparked new interest in the study of diet and weight loss-related topics. In recent years, research institutes and teams of scientists hailing from all over the world have contributed significant findings to the growing body of obesity and weight loss research. This week, we?ll take a look at the results of several recent studies published in India and China.

Asia Begins to Grapple With Obesity

As China has made the ascent from gripping poverty to international economic powerhouse over the course of the last several decades, increasing numbers of Chinese men, women, and children have begun to face the problem of obesity. Figures gathered by national health agencies indicate that the rate of obesity has increased by nearly 40% in recent years, with nearly 20% of all children and adolescence now fitting the clinical description for obesity.

This has led the Chinese government to enact a series of measures designed to reverse the obesity trend. Recently, several programs were instituted to increase physical activity among school-aged children, including periods of mandatory dancing during the school day. Other studies have been commissioned attempting to identify the causes of obesity among Chinese youth, the results indicating that wealthier households, along with an increasing abundance of unhealthy foods, were likely the chief culprits.

However, recent studies conducted in China have also indicated that the path away from increasing obesity could be found in at least a partial return to traditional ways of eating. One study found that greater consumption of black tea, green tea, and Oolong tea, all of which are traditional Chinese beverages with ancient roots.

The study indicated that chemical compounds known as polyphenols that are found in all three varieties of the most commonly consumed types of tea can prompt weight loss. The highest concentration of polyphenols can be found in Oolong tea. Luckily for Western dieters, this tea can now be found on the shelves of many American and European grocery stores, as well, making it easy for everyone to make use of the natural fat-fighting properties of this traditional Asian beverage.

India?s Growing Affluence Sparks Obesity

The obesity epidemic has also made a significant impact in India in recent years. Like China, much of India has long been mired in dire poverty. However, as a result of the process of globalization, India?s economic might has increased considerably in recent years. Today, employment is at an all-time high, and many young Indians are comfortably employed in high-paying positions in the growing technology industry.

The downside of this trend is the rapidly increasing rate of obesity in the country. Government health statistics indicate that a whopping 50% of the adult population in India is over their ideal body weight range, with 20% meeting the government?s standards for clinical obesity. Among affluent children and adolescents, the obesity rates hover around 10%, even as many poorer children continue to suffer from food insecurity and malnutrition.

A number of studies recently conducted in India demonstrate the significant toll that the growing obesity epidemic has had upon the public health in that country. For example, studies published in the last several years have linked obesity to increases in the prevalence of health problems such as asthma, Type 2 diabetes, back problems, and chronic pain.

Although impoverished countries face daunting public health challenges of their own, the health problems that are being encountered by countries on the rise, such as India and China, are also dire. Still, if a silver lining can be found in the growing rate of obesity in these countries, it may be that the increased research focus on obesity and weight loss will result in future breakthroughs that will facilitate weight loss for people struggling with obesity all over the world.