Obesity

If current trends continue, by 2030 up to 58% of the world’s adult population could be either overweight or obese

http://www.fao.org/FOCUS/E/obesity/obes1.htm
http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/facts/obesity/en/

Globally, more than 1 billion adults are overweight, and at least 300 million of them are clinically obese. If current trends continue, by 2030 up to 58% of the world’s adult population – 3.3 billion people – could be either overweight or obese.

Obesity is complex, affecting virtually all ages and socioeconomic groups. There is convincing evidence that it causes a number of cancers, such as cancers of the oesophagus, pancreas, bowel, breast (postmenopause), endometrium (womb) and kidney.

The obesity epidemic is not just restricted to developed countries; it affects developing countries as well. Increased consumption of more high energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods with high levels of sugar and saturated fats, combined with reduced physical activity, have led to obesity rates that have risen three-fold or more since 1980 in some areas of North America, the United Kingdom, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, the Pacific Islands, Australasia and China.

Obesity is commonly assessed by calculating a person’s body mass index (BMI) level. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 kg/m2 is defined as overweight, and a BMI of 30 kg/m2 and above as obese.

For more information about how obesity impacts the risk of cancer, please see the WCRF/ AICR Expert Report.

Global Prevalence of Adult Obesity

Percentage of adult population obese

Source: International Association for the Study of Obesity (data collected between 1997-2005)