Though the World Health Organization had been using these definitions already, scientists, dieticians, counselors, and political lobbyists protested the change.

global gross

Obesity may be the symptom of a global sickness, according to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Increase in % of overweight persons 20 yrs. and over, United States

Obesity is so common that it’s replacing more traditional public health concerns, such as under-nourishment and infectious diseases, according to a preliminary version of the study. In many places, obesity, defined in this study as a body mass index greater than 30, co-exists with undernourishment.

"There has been new evidence in Brazil that, where children were malnourished in utero, they are now prone to obesity," Saunders says.