The World Health Organization
and the Global Obesity Epidemic.

The obesity epidemic can also be called the diabetic epidemic, and it's getting worse. For several years the World Health Organization (WHO) has been leading the fight against it.

In the scientific community, obesity is approached from two opposite directions. In my opinion, one of them makes profits, the other one makes sense.

The pharmaceutical companies try to find out what's "wrong" with our bodies, hoping to discover the gene, or the hormone, or the enzyme that causes us to get fat. Once they have this vital information, they hope to create a new (and profitable) therapy that will be purchased by at least 60% of citizens in the Western world.

Just by looking at the numbers of overweight people in our society, it's easy to see that any scientific breakthrough will be the mother-lode for the company that comes out with it first.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is coming at the issue from a different (and more sensible) direction. And they have good reason to get involved in the fight.

This October, WHO came out with a report that identified the top 10 preventable risks to health, world-wide. Obesity was #10.

While many of the causes of disease on WHO's list are specific to developing counties, where nutrition and sanitation are poor, obesity is a problem for the relatively rich.

In an article on the BBC website, at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2371255.stm, we read that "obesity is becoming a global problem - estimated to affect more than one billion adults world-wide. Approximately 500,000 people in North America and Western Europe die from obesity-related diseases every year."

WHO is now working with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization to create a report with recommendations that would help achieve ideal nutritional goals. And according to Stephen Clapp of the Food Chemical News, the U.S. government is cooperating with WHO to come up with guidelines that would help leading food companies to change the ingredients in the food they sell.

Derek Yach, the head of WHO's division of noncommunicagble disease prevention program told Mr. Clapp that the goal of this international effort is to bring food companies in as allies, rather than enemies in the global fight against obesity.

He stated that the public policy should be "to make healthy choices the easy choices."

Why does this matter to us? Let's go back to the approach that the pharmaceutical companies are taking. By looking for a gene (or protein or hormone) in obese individuals that causes them to get fat, they are telling the world that you, the overweight person, has something wrong with you that can potentially be fixed by gene therapy or the next miracle diet pill.

On an individual level, it may give us hope that we can get help in our fight against our excess weight.

But on a national and international level, it simply doesn't make sense. No scientist would even consider looking for the "bad gene" that causes cigarette smokers to get lung cancer - it's obviously an environmental problem, caused by the cigarettes, not the lungs.

The same thing is true of obesity. It's not the body that causes obesity, it's the food.

Scientists and public policy makers have known for at least 200 years that sugar and white flour, along with certain fats, are not healthy foods. But these products are in almost every item found in a supermarket in the Western world because they are easy to produce, they're inexpensive, and they taste good.

Now that WHO is pulling together a coalition that includes national policy makers and food industry executives, it may be possible that something will be done that really does "make healthy choices the easy choices."

And I say - It's about time!

Jonni Good is the author of most of the original articles on this site. Jonni always looks for the easy way to solve common health problems, by working with human nature. Her books have helped hundreds of people lose weight, get fit, and regain their health - with less struggle. Please take a moment to visit her other sites:

Do You Gain Weight... Even when you eat less than your thinner friends? Learn why it happens, and how to use nutritious, satisfying food to break the metabolic pattern that causes some people to gain weight too easily.

Sugar Cravings and Addiction – Describes a simple program to help people break their addiction to sugar and fat. This book has been popular ever since it came out in 2003, and has helped hundreds of people lose their cravings for sugar and other simple carbs. Once the cravings are under control, it's easier to stick with your diet and regain your health.

Weight Lifting for Absolute Beginners – A guide to lifting weights for strong muscles and bones.

The Easy-Does-It Diet – A guide to creating your own delicious and healthy frozen diet meals. Eat healthy, low-fat meals without paying extra for store-bought frozen diet food.

Disclaimer: This site and the articles contained here are for information purposes only. The authors have made every effort to make sure the information is accurate, but no health decisions should ever be made based on this or any other website. Please contact your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program.

The World Health Organization and the Global Obesity Epidemic.

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The World Health Organization
and the Global Obesity Epidemic.