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Obesity 'costing same as smoking' | Obesity 'costing same as smoking' |
(about 11 hours later) | |
The worldwide cost of obesity is about the same as smoking or armed conflict and greater than both alcoholism and climate change, research has suggested. | The worldwide cost of obesity is about the same as smoking or armed conflict and greater than both alcoholism and climate change, research has suggested. |
The McKinsey Global Institute said it cost £1.3tn, or 2.8% of annual economic activity - it cost the UK £47bn. | The McKinsey Global Institute said it cost £1.3tn, or 2.8% of annual economic activity - it cost the UK £47bn. |
Some 2.1bn people - about 30% of the world's population - were overweight or obese, the researchers added. | Some 2.1bn people - about 30% of the world's population - were overweight or obese, the researchers added. |
They said measures that relied less on individual responsibility should be used to tackle the problem. | They said measures that relied less on individual responsibility should be used to tackle the problem. |
Lost output | Lost output |
The report said there was a "steep economic toll", and the proportion could rise to almost half of the world's population by 2030. | The report said there was a "steep economic toll", and the proportion could rise to almost half of the world's population by 2030. |
The financial costs of obesity are growing - for health care and more widely in the economy. By causing illness, obesity results in working days and output lost. | The financial costs of obesity are growing - for health care and more widely in the economy. By causing illness, obesity results in working days and output lost. |
The researchers argued that a range of ambitious policies needed to be considered and a systemic rather than piecemeal response was essential. | The researchers argued that a range of ambitious policies needed to be considered and a systemic rather than piecemeal response was essential. |
What is obesity? | What is obesity? |
A person is considered obese if they are very overweight with a high degree of body fat. | A person is considered obese if they are very overweight with a high degree of body fat. |
The most common way to assess if a person is obese is to check their body mass index (BMI), which divides your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared. | The most common way to assess if a person is obese is to check their body mass index (BMI), which divides your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared. |
If your BMI is above 25 you are overweight. A BMI of 30-40 is considered obese, while above 40 is very obese. A BMI of less than 18.5 is underweight. | If your BMI is above 25 you are overweight. A BMI of 30-40 is considered obese, while above 40 is very obese. A BMI of less than 18.5 is underweight. |
Where are you on the global BMI scale? | Where are you on the global BMI scale? |
"These initiatives would need to draw on interventions that rely less on individual responsibility and more on changes to the environment," the report said. | "These initiatives would need to draw on interventions that rely less on individual responsibility and more on changes to the environment," the report said. |
If the right measures were taken there could be long-term savings of £760m a year for the UK's National Health Service, it added. | If the right measures were taken there could be long-term savings of £760m a year for the UK's National Health Service, it added. |
The initiatives assessed in the report include portion control for some packaged food and the reformulation of fast and processed food. | The initiatives assessed in the report include portion control for some packaged food and the reformulation of fast and processed food. |
'Crisis proportions' | 'Crisis proportions' |
It said these were more effective than taxes on high-fat and high-sugar products or public health campaigns. Weight management programmes and workplace fitness schemes were also considered. | It said these were more effective than taxes on high-fat and high-sugar products or public health campaigns. Weight management programmes and workplace fitness schemes were also considered. |
The report concluded that "a strategy of sufficient scale is needed as obesity is now reaching crisis proportions". | The report concluded that "a strategy of sufficient scale is needed as obesity is now reaching crisis proportions". |
The rising prevalence of obesity was driving the increase in heart and lung disease, diabetes and lifestyle-related cancers, it said. | The rising prevalence of obesity was driving the increase in heart and lung disease, diabetes and lifestyle-related cancers, it said. |
Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England (PHE), said: "The report is a useful contribution to the obesity debate. PHE has consistently said that simple education messages alone are not enough to tackle obesity." | Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England (PHE), said: "The report is a useful contribution to the obesity debate. PHE has consistently said that simple education messages alone are not enough to tackle obesity." |
Dr Tedstone said obesity required action across national and local government, industry and society as a whole, and there was "no single silver bullet solution". | Dr Tedstone said obesity required action across national and local government, industry and society as a whole, and there was "no single silver bullet solution". |
The report was produced by McKinsey Global Institute, the business and economics research arm of consultancy firm McKinsey & Company. | The report was produced by McKinsey Global Institute, the business and economics research arm of consultancy firm McKinsey & Company. |