Overweight women prevalent around the world

March 10, 2005

Washington: Many more women around the world are overweight, even in poor countries and in rural areas, according to a report published this week.

The study found that 32% of urban women in 36 countries were overweight, compared to 9% of rural women, who were underweight. The study did not include men.

"The prevalence of overweight among young women in the developing world has reached an alarming state," US and Brazilian researchers wrote in this week's issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

A body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 or lower was taken as underweight, according to international standards, while a BMI of 25 or above was overweight.

In Asia, Africa and Latin America, many more women, both urban and rural, were overweight than underweight.

"The exception was India, where very high prevalences of undernutrition persist (23.1% of urban and 48.2% of rural women)," the researchers wrote.

In the developed world, many more women are overweight. In the United States, more than 60% of women are overweight and 33% are obese and therefore risk heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some forms of cancer.

Source:www.themercury.co.za