New approaches to dieting and eating: what are they and do they work?

摘要

IN THE past 20 years obesity levels have risen across the globe and become a major public health issue. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that obesity is an "abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that might impair health"1 and defines it in terms of the body mass index. A person with a BMI greater than 25 is classed as overweight and obese when their BMI reaches or exceeds 30. In England, the prevalence of obesity in adults has risen from 13 per cent in 1993 to 24 per cent in 2011. Moreover, WHO estimates that 2.8 million people die annually as a consequence of being overweight or obese. Obesity is also considered a major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, certain cancers and musculoskeletal conditions such as osteoarthritis.