Weight of evidence

摘要

Obesity has been described as the number one cause of preventable ill health and is the major public health issue in the UK and in both the developed and developing world. It is defined as "a disorder in which excess fat has accumulated to an extent that health may be adversely affected". Currently in the UK more than 50 per cent of adults are overweight and more than 22 per cent are obese. The definitions for overweight and obese people are outlined in Table 1.