Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. Summary: New research explains how poor maternal nutrition passes health risk across generations. The new science of epigenetics explains how genes can be modified by the environment: You are what your mother did not eat during pregnancy.
A 2005 WHO study found that just over 20% of Australian adults are obese, which is expected to rise to roughly 29% in 2010 if current trends continue. In the 2005 National Health Survey, 53.6% of Australians reported being overweight (above a 25 BMI), with 18% falling into the obese category (above a 30 BMI).n 2005, a study was conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics that compared the results of a 2004-05 survey with those conducted in the preceding 15 years. The results showed an increase in the number and proportion of adults who are overweight or obese.
The number of overweight and obese adults in the developing world has almost quadrupled to around one billion since 1980, says a report from a UK think tank. The Overseas Development Institute said one in three people worldwide was now overweight and urged governments to do more to influence diets.In the UK, 64% of adults are classed as being overweight or obese. The report predicts a huge increase in heart attacks, strokes and diabetes. total of 904 million people in developing countries are now classed as overweight or above, with a BMI of more than 25, up from 250 million in 1980. This compares to 557 million in high-income countries. Over the same period, the global population nearly doubled.