Determinants of obesity

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511782466.003

2 - Determinants of obesity

from Section 1 - Trends and determinants of obesity in women of reproductive age

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 August 2012

Cuilin Zhang and

Frank B. Hu

Edited by

Matthew W. Gillman and

Lucilla Poston

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Matthew W. Gillman: Affiliation:
Harvard Medical School
Lucilla Poston: Affiliation:
King's College London

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Summary

Introduction

Obesity has become a global epidemic. The World Health Organization’s(WHO) latest report [1] indicates that in 2008 approximately 1.5 billionadults 20 years or older worldwide were overweight, defined as having a bodymass index (BMI) ≥25kg/m2 [1]. Of these, nearly 500million were obese, BMI ≥30kg/m2, including 200million males and nearly 300 million females. The numbers of thoseoverweight and obese are projected to reach 2.3 billion and 700 millionrespectively by 2015 [1]. In the United States, the percentage of obeseadults increased from 15% in the late 1970s to over 33% in 2007–2008,with the greatest increase among Mexican American women [2]. Similarly, in anumber of developing countries such as China and India, where the Westernlifestyle and diet are becoming more common, the prevalence ofovernutrition, obesity, and obesity-related disorders is increasing rapidly.For instance, according to the WHO’s Global Information Database, 45%of males and 32% of females aged 15 years or older in China were overweight,or an average of 38.5% of the 2010 population. This is a sharp increase fromthe 2002 estimate of 25% in China (27.5% of males and 22.7% of females)[3].

Women of reproductive age are no exception. Based on data from the NationalHealth and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2008, US womenof 20 to 39 years old are alarmingly heavy: 60% are overweight, 34% areobese, and 8% have a BMI ≥40kg/m2 (class IIIobesity) [4]. Moreover, a very high proportion of pregnant women,approximately 45%, were overweight or obese when becoming pregnant [5].Furthermore, in the United States, the greatest increase in the prevalenceof obesity in the past decade is among women aged 20 to 39 years, a jumpfrom 28% during 1999–2000 to 34% during 2007–2008, as comparedwith a slight increase from 37.8% to 38.4% among women of 40 to 59 yearsold. Substantial increase in obesity burden among women at reproductive agewas observed in other countries as well. For instance, in a nationallyrepresentative study of maternal obesity in England, UK, first trimestermaternal obesity more than doubled from 7.6% in 1989 to 15.6% in 2007 (p< 0.001) [6]. In South Asian countries (Bangladesh, Nepal, andIndia), although the prevalence of underweight has remained high, theprevalence of overweight and obesity in women of reproductive age hasincreased substantially [7].

Keywords

behavioral changes breastfeeding gestational weight gain reproductive age sedentary lifestyle postpartum weight retention lactation obesity

Information

Type: Chapter
Information: Maternal Obesity , pp. 8 - 19

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511782466.003 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2012

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