Obesity is something that we should definitely be wary of in this country. Studies show that diet is largely responsible for this and that other countries to improve their dietary regulations while we do not and then continue to find more and more people with obesity.
“Our understanding of obesity must be completely reframed if we are to halt and reverse the global obesity epidemic,” explains Christina Roberto of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “On one hand, we need to acknowledge that individuals bear some responsibility for their health, and on the other hand recognize that today’s food environments exploit people’s biological, psychological, social and economic vulnerabilities, making it easier for them to eat unhealthy foods.”
Dr. Imamura comments that “By 2020, projections indicate that non-communicable diseases will account for 75 percent of all deaths. Improving diet has a crucial role to play in reducing this burden. Our findings have implications for governments and international bodies worldwide.
The distinct dietary trends based on healthy and unhealthy foods, we highlight, indicate the need to understand different, multiple causes of these trends, such as agricultural, food industry, and health policy. Policy actions in multiple domains are essential to help people achieve optimal diets to control the obesity epidemic and reduce non-communicable diseases in all regions of the world.”
William H. Dietz, MD, PhD, comments. “An estimated 600 million people worldwide now suffer from obesity, and that represents an enormous burden both for individuals and for society at large.” The director of the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness at Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University continues, “Our findings suggest that we must take steps now to transform the way obesity is treated, with more emphasis on partnerships, better training for health professionals, and initiatives aimed at erasing the stigma surrounding this serious health condition.”
