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The accelerating
obesity problem worldwide
The principal
causes of the accelerating obesity problem worldwide are sedentary
lifestyles and high-fat, and energy-dense diets.
The rising
epidemic reflects the profound changes in society and in the behavioral
patterns of communities over the last 20-30 years. Individuals may become
obese, partly because they have a genetic predisposition to gain weight
readily when they are exposed to unhealthy diets and lifestyles.
.JPG) Nevertheless,
the fundamental causes for the obesity epidemic are changing behaviors and
lifestyles, especially diets.
The problem of
obesity has so far been largely ignored as a public health issue. But the
numbers affected are now so vast that sufferers from obesity problems
already threaten to overwhelm countries' medical services. Prevention
policies aimed at a country's entire population were therefore imperative;
these could include
·
promoting healthy lifestyles, including diets of lower energy
density (increased consumption of vegetables, fruits, grains and cereals);
increased physical activity such as walking and behavioral change,
with emphasis on weight management rather than on short-term extreme weight
reduction
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