http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7404268.stm
Obese blamed for the world's ills
The world's obese population is rising
Obese people are contributing to the world food crisis and climate
change, experts say.
The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine calculated the
obese consume 18% more calories than average.
They are also responsible for using more fuel, which has an
environmental impact and drives up food prices as transport and
agriculture both use oil.
The result is that the poor struggle to afford food and greenhouse gas
emissions rise, the Lancet reported.
It comes as the World Health Organization predicts the obese
population will double by 2015 to 700m.
Transport and food policy and the importance of sustainable transport
must not be overlooked
Dr Phil Edwards, report co-author
In the UK, nearly a quarter of adults are classed obese, twice as many
as there were in the 1980s.
The team found that obese people require 1,680 daily calories to
sustain normal energy and another 1,280 to maintain daily activities -
a fifth more than normal.
The higher consumption of food has a two-fold effect, researchers
said.
First of all the increasing demand for food, drives up production.
This means that agricultural processes are using more oil to meet
demand, which contributes to the rising cost of fuel.
The cost of fuel is then passed on in the cost of food, making it more
difficult for poorer areas to afford it.
Prices
What is more, the researchers said obese people are likely to rely on
transport more and put more strain on that transport because of their
mass, which again drives up prices and usage.
But the researchers said there was a solution.
Phil Edwards, who co-authored the article, said: "Urban transport
policies that promote walking and cycling would reduce food prices by
reducing the global demand for oil and promotion of a normal weight.
And they added: "Decreased car use would reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
"Transport and food policy and the importance of sustainable transport
must not be overlooked."
But Dr David Haslam, of the National Obesity Forum, said it was
"stretching it a bit" to blame the obese in the way.
"Really, it is discriminatory towards obese people. They are an easy
target at the moment, but I think the causes of climate change and
rising food prices is much more complex." |
332835. Obese blamed for the world's ills
332835. Obese blamed for the world's ills
332835. Obese blamed for the world's ills
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