Obesity update

There’s good news and bad news in a new report from the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development, which advises 34 developed countries.

The bad news:

• In over half its members, more than one in two people are overweight or obese.
• More than 500 billion people worldwide are obese.
• Obesity rates in Canada, Ireland and the United States have risen over 4% during the past decade.
• Every extra 15kg in weight increases the risk of early death by 30%.

The good news:

• Obesity rates have slowed or stopped growing in England, Hungary, Italy, Korea and Switzerland.
• Childhood obesity has stabilised in England, France, Korea and the United States.