'Pandemic' obesity is spreading rapidly across the globe

People in all regions of the world are getting fatter, except for the south and southeast Asia, according to a recent global survey.

Obesity increases the risk of heart disease.(Photo: TTO)

In 2006, about half of men and two-thirds of women in 63 countries on five continents (excluding the United States) were overweight or obese. According to experts, this number is very worrying. According to the survey, only 7% of people in Southeast Asia are obese, compared with 36% in Canada, 38% in the Middle East and 40% in South Africa.

Canada and South Africa are currently the world leaders in obesity rates, with an average BMI ^(*) of 29 in both men and women (in Canada) and 29 in women ( in South Africa).

The IBM index for Nordic men is 27, for women in 26. In southern Europe, this index in both sexes is 28. In Australia, the IBM index for men is 28, for women is 27, 5 also in Latin America, this index is below 28.

According to experts, overweight people are at risk for heart disease, type II diabetes and other diseases, including some types of cancer, higher than those with normal weight.

T.VY

^(*) IBM index higher than 25 is considered overweight and higher than 30 is obesity