China Grows Fat As It Adopts Western Ways

People in China have always been considered as being fairly lean, but now at least one-fourth of Chinese adults are believed to be overweight or obese.

In 2006, 26% of the Chinese population were classed as overweight, that’s about 275 million people, compared with 8.8% in 1989.

“People are usually considered obese if they have a BMI of 30 or greater”

These percentages are far lower than the US, where about 66% of adults are overweight or obese. People are usually considered obese if they have a BMI of 30 or greater, which is 30 or more pounds too heavy.

The main reason for the skyrocketing incidence of obesity in China is they have began to adopt a more of a Western lifestyle. The average Chinese adult has shifted drastically from a diet of grains, beans and vegetables to consuming over half of calories from cooking oils, pork, poultry, beef, mutton, fish and dairy foods. Plus, the Chinese are less physically active than they used to be as more people move into sedentary jobs and buy motor scooters and cars.

As a result, nutrition- and weight-related causes of death such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancer are rising and likely to get worse absent major changes.

Experts are now saying China needs to adopt national policies to change this trend or face a dramatic increase in early deaths, disability, absenteeism and medical care costs from weight-related illnesses.