NEWS: 18 Million Chinese Adults Now Obese: Study

Obesity is not just a "western ailment". While statistically small for a population as large as China's, indications are that obesity is on the rise in that country.



Apparently, obesity resulting from sedentary activities and consumption of junk foods is spreading throughout the world as lifestyles change in developing nations.

Interestingly, the increase in obesity is showing significant influences not only from diet and exercise, but varies substantially based on genetic and environmental factors as well.

It remains to be seen how different nations will deal with the problem and how effective their efforts will be.

Background on obesity.

[edit on 4/15/2005 by Majic]

Seems a far cry from the days of the "great leap forward".

Well, it's tiny from the Chinese perspective but look at it this way.

Taiwan = 23 million.
Australia = 20 million
Obese people in China = 18 million.

All those Big Macs are catching up with them.

I suspect that figure (because it is so low of a percentage of population) is routine and shows no real increase in China.

Damn you American fast-food culture, making Chinese obese before it can fight a war!!!!

Im not surprised theyre fat, theyre takaways are lovely!

18 Million Chinese Adults Now Obese: Study

OMG! No way!
Where are all those past ATS threads on how Americans are obese and lazy people?
Gee, I always assumed that this was simply an "American" problem...
But hey, no need to worry so much about this. After all, it is another Lancet Report....the same Lancet that did a "study" that stipulated that 100,000 Iraqis had been killed by Americans. As such, I would not be the least bit surprised if this Lancet study concludes that this was America's fault, as well.



seekerof

[edit on 15-4-2005 by Seekerof]

Wow. That's like...1% of the population!! We'd better watch out. 18 million fatties in China could alter the Earth's spin creating a wobble effect that could slingshot us out near Planet X.

Seriously though, check out this list to see how fat China really is getting.

Percentage of obese and overweight population by country.









What do you mean they're "not on the list"?



[edit on 2005/4/15 by wecomeinpeace]

Thank you wecomeinpeace.
You just single-handedly showed me why this Lancet Report, among others by them, is of no significance or merit.





seekerof

First off let me say good for them.

Second, by the scale that is used, I am overweight, and I have around 7.5 8% body fat. The scale is crap. Muscle has more mass than fat.



[edit on 15-4-2005 by SpittinCobra]

Hmmm...we should start a thread on how well endowed chinese are as opposed to Americans....

I know, Betcha Americans would win this one. (from what i hear)

Well, there's a study showing 18 milllion obese chinese, out of how many???? They're not even close to us on the ovbesity scale.

Well considering the population, 18mil isn't a whole lot of fat people. However with talk of China going capatalist in the next fifty years this could play an interesting factor. Either way 18 million may not be very many now, but if this keeps up then China could start to look like the US. Just remember there weren't a lot of fat people in the US before 1950 compared to the amount today.

Blame it Wal-Mart, I bet their selection of ready to eat food most be very attractive

Lots of fried chicken and mashed potatoes.

Do they actually have WalMart's in China?
Hell, I always thought that WalMart was a Chinese product?




seekerof

They actually do have Walmarts in China, but not enough to affect the obesity levels of 1.3 billion Chinese, who - to reiterate again since some seem to have missed it - do not have a national obesity problem. 18 million is 1.38% of the population, folks. They probably rank very high up amongst the countries with the LOWEST amount of obese persons. Seeing an obviously obese person on the streets here in China is an EVENT. Truly obese people will draw crowds.

Welcomeinpeace, is very disturbing to notice how US is on top of the list and then "Mexico" I guess the Mexican influence in food and with burgers Giants influences has a lot to do with it.

Then we wonder why our nation's health is making the pharmaceuticals very busy.

China is by far a lean Nation and perhaps Wal-Mart is not impacting them but it will eventually, and I imagine that the small percentage of obesity in their country is due to some real health issues and not due to the food they eat.

Ronald McDonald will kill us all.