Obesity levels in the developing world quadruple to one billion

The number of overweight and obese adults in the developing world has almost quadrupled to around one billion since 1980.

16:49 03 January 2014

A think tank in Britain has recently released a report claiming that the number of overweight and obese adults in the developing world has reached around one billion. This number is almost four times bigger compared to figures collected in 1980.

The Overseas Development Institute confirmed that one in three people around the world is now overweight. For this reason, it urged the governments to do something to modify the diet of most people.

In the UK, there are about 64per cent adults that are under the obese or overweight category. As a result of of this, the report a predicts huge increase in heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes.

One of the report authors, Steve Wiggins, offered explanation saying: "People with higher incomes have the ability to choose the kind of foods they want. Changes in lifestyle, the increasing availability of processed foods, advertising, media influences... have all led to dietary changes."

Wiggins recommends more concerted public health measures from the governments. He added: "Politicians need to be less shy about trying to influence what food ends up on our plates.

"The challenge is to make healthy diets viable whilst reducing the appeal of foods which carry a less certain nutritional value."