DOCSLIB.ORG

PAPER the Nutrition Transition: Worldwide Obesity Dynamics and Their Determinants

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
PAPER the Nutrition Transition: Worldwide Obesity Dynamics and Their Determinants International Journal of Obesity (2004) 28, S2–S9 & 2004 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved 0307-0565/04 $30.00 www.nature.com/ijo PAPER The nutrition transition: worldwide obesity dynamics and their determinants View metadata,BM citation Popkin and similar1* and papers P Gordon-Larsen at core.ac.uk 1 brought to you by CORE provided by Carolina Digital Repository 1Department of Nutrition, Schools of Public Health and Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA OBJECTIVE: This paper explores the major changes in diet and physical activity patterns around the world and focuses on shifts in obesity. DESIGN: Review of results focusing on large-scale surveys and nationally representative studies of diet, activity, and obesity among adults and children. SUBJECTS: Youth and adults from a range of countries around the world. MEASUREMENTS: The International Obesity Task Force guidelines for defining overweight and obesity are used for youth and the body mass index Z25 kg/m2 and 30 cutoffs are used, respectively, for adults. RESULTS: The nutrition transition patterns are examined from the time period termed the receding famine pattern to one dominated by nutrition-related noncommunicable diseases (NR-NCDs). The speed of dietary and activity pattern shifts is great, particularly in the developing world, resulting in major shifts in obesity on a worldwide basis. Data limitations force us to examine data on obesity trends in adults to provide a broader sense of changes in obesity over time, and then to examine the relatively fewer studies on youth. Specifically, this work provides a sense of change both in the United States, Europe, and the lower- and middle-income countries of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. CONCLUSION: The paper shows that changes are occurring at great speed and at earlier stages of the economic and social development of each country. The burden of obesity is shifting towards the poor. International Journal of Obesity (2004) 28, S2–S9. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0802804 Keywords: youth obesity; nutrition transition; obesity trend Introduction demographic transitionFthe shift from a pattern of high Over the past 15 y, there has been increasing evidence that fertility and mortality to one of low fertility and mortality the structure of dietary intakes and the prevalence of obesity (typical of modern industrialized countries). The second is around the developing world have been changing at an the epidemiological transition, first described by Omran:2 increasingly rapid pace.1 In many ways, these shifts are a the shift from a pattern of high prevalence of infectious continuation of large-scale changes that have occurred diseaseFassociated with malnutrition, periodic famine, and repeatedly over time; however, we will assert and show that poor environmental sanitationFto one of high prevalence the changes facing low- and moderate-income countries of chronic and degenerative diseaseFassociated with urban– appear to be very rapid. While initially these shifts were felt industrial lifestyles.3 to be limited to higher-income urban populations, it is The nutrition transition is closely related to the demo- increasingly clear that these are much broader trends graphic and epidemiologic transitions. Large shifts have affecting all segments of society. occurred in diet and in physical activity patterns, particularly Two historic processes of change occur simultaneously in the last one or two decades of the 20th century. Modern with, or precede, the ‘nutrition transition’. One is the societies seem to be converging on a diet high in saturated fats, sugar, and refined foods but low in fiberFoften termed the ‘Western diet’Fand on lifestyles characterized by lower *Correspondence: Professor BM Popkin, Carolina Population Center, CB levels of activity. These changes are reflected in nutritional &hash; 8120 University Square, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27516-3997, USA. outcomes, such as changes in average stature, body composi- E-mail: [email protected] tion, and morbidity. Worldwide obesity dynamics and their determinants BM Popkin and P Gordon-Larsen S3 The last three stages of the nutrition transition are Edible oil described in more detail in Figure 1. In Stage 3, famine Elsewhere we have provided evidence of the rapid increases begins to recede as income rises. In Stage 4, changes in diet in edible oil at the national and household level throughout and activity pattern lead to the emergence of new disease the developing world. In many developing countries, problems and increased disability. In Stage 5, behavioral dietary change has begun with major increases in change begins to reverse the negative tendencies and make domestic production and imports of oilseeds and vegetable possible a process of ‘successful aging’.4,5 The changes are all oilsFrather than animal source products or caloric sweet- driven by a range of factors, including urbanization, eners. For instance, between 1991 and 1996/7, global economic growth, technical change, and culture. For con- production of vegetable fats and oils rose from 60 to 71 venience, the patterns can be thought of as historical million metric tons.9 In contrast, the production of visible developments; however, ‘earlier’ patterns are not restricted animal fats (butter and tallow) has remained steady at to the periods in which they first arose, but continue to approximately 12 million metric tons. Principal vegetable characterize certain geographic and socioeconomic (SES) oils include soybean, sunflower, rapeseed, palm, and ground- subpopulations. Elsewhere we have laid out the full set of nut oil. With the exception of groundnut oil, global nutrition transition stages in more detail.6,7 availability of each has approximately tripled between 1961 On a global basis, there are several themes related to and 1990. While the broader macroeconomic shifts that obesity that we will summarize. The first is the general shift affected this increase in edible vegetable fat intakeFnamely, toward obesity that represents a global problem rather than edible vegetable fat prices, supply, and consumptionFis one centered in a few high-income countries. The second is unique because it affected rich and poor countries equally, the rapid increase in obesity found in lower- and middle- the net impact is relatively much greater on low-income income developing countriesFa rate of change that appears countries.10,11 to be greater than that found in higher-income countries. The third is the shift in the burden of obesity toward the poor on a worldwide basis. We present the limited compar- Caloric sweeteners able data on trends in adolescent obesity across the globe, Sugar is the world’s predominant sweetener. It is not with specific attention to the link between obesity and clear exactly when sugar became the world’s principal economic and social development. sweetenerFmost likely in the 17th or 18th centuryFas the New World began producing large quantities of sugar at reduced prices.12,13 We use the term caloric sweetener Dietary changes around the world are rapid! instead of added sugar, as there is such a range of nonsugar The diets of the developing world are shifting rapidly, products used today. High-fructose corn syrup is a particularly with respect to fat, caloric sweeteners, and prime example, as it is the sweetener used in all US soft animal source foods (ASF).1,8 drinks. The name ‘sweeteners’ includes products used for Urbanization, economic growth, technological changes for work, leisure, & food processing, mass media growth Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Receding Famine Degenerative Disease Behavioral Change • reduced fat, increased • starchy, low variety, • increased fat, sugar, fruit, veg,CHO,fiber low fat,high fiber processed foods • replace sedentarianism • labor-intensive • shift in technology of with purposeful changes work/leisure work and leisure in recreation, other activity MCH deficiencies, obesity emerges, reduced body fatness, weaning disease, bone density problems improved bone health stunting Accelerated life expectancy, Extended health aging, Slow mortality decline shift to increased DR-NCD, reduced DR-NCD increased disability period Figure 1 Stages of the nutrition transition. International Journal of Obesity Worldwide obesity dynamics and their determinants BM Popkin and P Gordon-Larsen S4 sweetening derived either from sugar crops, cereals, fruits, Animal source foods milk, or produced by insects. This category includes a wide The revolution in ASF refers to the increase in demand and variety of monosaccharides (glucose and fructose) and production of meat, fish, and milk in low-income develop- disaccharides (sucrose and saccharose), which exist either ing countries. Delgado at International Food Policy Research in a crystallized state as sugar or in thick liquid form as Institutes (IFPRIs) has studied this issue extensively in a syrups. Included in sweeteners are maple sugar and syrups, number of seminal reports and papers16,17 Most of the caramel, golden syrup, artificial and natural honey, maltose, world’s growth in production and consumption of these glucose, dextrose, glucose (also known as high-fructose corn foods comes from the developing countries; thus, develop- syrup), other types of fructose, sugar confectionery, and ing countries will produce 63% of meat and 50% of milk in lactose. 2020. It is a global food activity, transforming the grain In the last several decades, increasingly larger quantities
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Nutrition Transition: an Overview of World Patterns of Change Barry M
    July 2004: (II)S140–S143 The Nutrition Transition: An Overview of World Patterns of Change Barry M. Popkin, Ph.D. This paper examines the speed of change in diet, transformation now faced by lower and moderate activity, and obesity in the developing world, and income, transitional societies. notes potential exacerbating biological relation- • The differences in the rates of change may be ships that contribute to differences in the rates of exacerbated by some biological relationships. change. The focus is on lower- and middle-in- come countries of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. These dietary, physical activ- Assertion 1 ity, and body composition changes are occurring The shifts in dietary and activity patterns and body at great speed and at earlier stages of these composition seem to be occurring more rapidly. The countries’ economic and social development. pace of the rapid nutrition transition shifts in diet and There are some unique issues that relate to body activity patterns from the period termed the receding composition and potential genetic factors that famine pattern, to one dominated by NR-NCDs seems to are also explored, including potential differences be accelerating in the lower- and middle- income transi- in body mass index (BMI)—disease relationships and added risks posed by high levels of poor fetal tional countries. We use the term “nutrition” rather than and infant growth patterns. In addition there is an “diet” in considering NR-NCDs, because the term NR- important dynamic occurring—the shift in the NCD incorporates the effects of diet, physical activity, burden of poor diets, inactivity and obesity from and body composition rather than solely focusing on 1 the rich to the poor.
    [Show full text]
  • Urbanization and the Nutrition Transition
    ACHIEVINGURBANFOODANDNUTRITION SECURITYINTHEDEVELOPINGWORLD 2O2O VISION URBANIZATIONANDTHENUTRITIONTRANSITION BARRYM. POPKIN FOCUS3 • BRIEF7 OF10 • AUGUST2000 ncreasing urbanization in the developing world has brought a Iremarkably rapid shift toward a high incidence of obesity and CALORIESOURCESANDGNP PERCAPITA, noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and coronary prob- URBANIZATIONLEVELOF25 AND75 PERCENT lems, at a time when large segments of the population still face undernutrition and poverty-related diseases. Obesity and its relat- ed diseases, for example, affect 25–50 percent of the population in countries as disparate as Kuwait, Mexico, Thailand, and Tunisia. This “nutrition transition”—a term used to describe shifts in diet, physical activity, health, and nutrition—can be traced to higher incomes, the influence of mass media and food marketing, and a range of changes in the nature of work and leisure. Where a person stands in the nutrition transition depends on how far that person has moved away from a traditional diet and toward a diet common in the West, with all the accompa- nying changes in physical activity and body composition. According to this qualitative measure of transition, urban areas throughout the developing world are much further along in the process than rural areas. On a regional basis, most Latin American and Caribbean countries and selected countries in North Africa, the Middle East, and East Asia have shifted the most in nutritional status and dietary and activity patterns. The most promising policy option for remedying the ill effects of this transition appears to be a combination of price policies, education, and specific program actions at the school level. THE NUTRITION TRANSITION Urban residents have vastly different lifestyles than rural resi- dents.
    [Show full text]
  • Long-Term Changes in Food Consumption Patterns
    The nutrition transition to 2030 Why developing countries are likely to bear the major burden Josef Schmidhuber and Prakash Shetty1 Josef Schmidhuber Prakash Shetty Global Perspectives Studies Unit Nutrition Planning, Assessment and Evaluation Service Economic and Social Department Economic and Social Department Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Nations Tel: (39) 06 570-56264 Tel: (39) 06 570-53341 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] 1. Introduction and overview The last two centuries have seen a fundamental transformation of diets in essentially all affluent countries. At the beginning of this transformation was the agro-industrial revolution of the nineteenth century which provided people with the expertise to produce more, the income to consume more and increasingly sophisticated food products. The modernization of agriculture has played a pivotal role in bringing about change. The rigorous application of scientific advances to traditional agriculture, mechanization, genetic improvements and the development of fertilizers and pesticides enabled a doubling and redoubling of food production within the time span of a few decades. In fact, productivity growth was so strong that growth in production comfortably exceeded growth in demand and afforded a rapidly growing population more and better food at declining real prices. Agricultural productivity growth also promoted the industrialization of the then largely agrarian societies. It helped accumulate capital, free up labour and provide ever more and more nutritious food. Eventually, a virtuous circle was created where productivity growth, rising incomes and better nutrition became mutually supportive and thus spurred overall economic development.2 At least for the nineteenth century, however, these developments remained largely limited to industrial countries.
    [Show full text]
  • The Nutrition Transition and Global
    The Nutrition Transition and Global Food System Dynamics: The Accelerating Speed of Change and Global Challenges We Face for Creating a Healthier Global Diet Barry Popkin W. R. Kenan, Jr. Distinguished University Professor Department of Nutrition Gilling's School of Global Public Health School of Medicine Department of Economics The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill THE W RLD IS FAT Outline: Why Do We Need Large-Scale Changes to Improve Our Diets? • Introduction: the nutrition transition and major mismatches: modern technology vs. inherited biological preferences • Physical activity: a major concern but not the solution • The modern food system and how it has shaped our diet • Major dietary shifts of the past 2-3 decades • Regulatory and tax options: global lessons from Chile and Mexico • Chile may be the first country to reverse obesity and all the diet and obesity-related NCDs, but there are key gaps to fill. Role of Our History Mismatch: Biology which has evolved over the millennia clashes with modern technology Core biochemical and Biology Evolved Over Modern Technology has taken physiologic processes 100,000 Years advantage of this biology have been preserved Sweet preferences Cheap caloric sweeteners, food from those who processing create habituation to appeared in Africa sweetness between 100,000 and Thirst, hunger/satiety Caloric beverage revolution, sweetening 50,000 years ago. mechanisms not linked of beverages consumed Fatty food preference Edible oil revolution — high yield oilseeds, cheap removal of oils, modern processed food/restaurant sector Desire to eliminate Technology in all phases of work and exertion movement reduce energy expenditure, enhance sedentarianism Stages of the Nutrition Transition Urbanization, economic growth, technological changes for work, leisure, & food processing, mass media growth Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Pattern 3 Pattern 4 Pattern 5 Collecting Food Famine Receding Famine Chronic Disease (NCD’s) Behavioral Change • Diverse wild plants • Monoculture ag.
    [Show full text]
  • Prospective Study on Nutrition Transition in China
    Prospective study on nutrition transition in China Fengying Zhai, Huijun Wang, Shufa Du, Yuna He, Zhihong Wang, Keyou Ge, and Barry M Popkin The aim of the prospective study reported here was to examine the effects of social and economic transformation on dietary patterns and nutritional status in China. The study began in 1989 and continued with follow-ups in 1991, 1993, 1997, 2000, and 2004. A total of 5000 subjects aged 18–45 years from 4280 households in nine provinces were included. Weighed records and three consecutive 24-h recalls were used. Over the study period, average consumption of all animal foods except milk increased, while cereal intake decreased. The proportion of animal protein and fat as a percentage of energy also increased. However, vitamin A and calcium intake did not increase and remained low. Child height and weight increased while undernutrition decreased and overweight increased. The results indicate that rapid changes in dietary pattern are associated with economic reforms in China. © 2009 International Life Sciences Institute INTRODUCTION development, public resources, and health indicators. A multistage, random cluster sample was used to draw the Twenty-five years ago, China introduced sweeping sample surveyed in each of the provinces. In 1989–1993 reforms in the structure of its rural economy. The there were 190 primary sampling units; a new province economy has experienced exponential growth in the past and its sampling units were added in 1997. Currently, decade, with per-capita GDP rising from 460 yuan in there are about 3800 households in the overall survey, 1980 to 9101 yuan in 2003.1 Since 1990, the annual rate covering 16,000 individuals, including all age groups.
    [Show full text]
  • Impacts of Nutrition Transition in Indigenous Communities of Northern Ecuador: What Can We Do Next?
    Impacts of Nutrition Transition in Indigenous Communities of Northern Ecuador: What can we do next? Annie Dubé 2015 McBurney Fellow McGill Institute for Health and Social Policy Impacts of Nutrition Transition in Ecuador 1 Project Overview Student name: Annie Dubé Department: Department of Medicine Organization: Partnership between McGill University and Andean communities of Northern Ecuador Location: rural area of Cotacachi, Ecuador Mentor: Dr Alison Doucet Fellowship Duration: March 6- April 6, 2015 About the McBurney Fellowship Program Through McGill’s Institute for Health and Social Policy, the McBurney Fellowship Program supports students in international service programs related to health and social policy in Latin America. McBurney Fellows serve abroad in organizations working to meet the basic needs of local populations. One key aspect of this fellowship is its mandate to make a significant contribution to improving the health and social conditions of poor and marginalized populations through the delivery of concrete and measurable interventions. Students and their mentors identify issues, make connections with local organizations, and develop a strategy for the fellowship. The views expressed in this document are the opinions of the fellow, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the IHSP. Contents Project Overview ............................................................ 1 Contents ......................................................................... 1 Head 1............................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Head 1............................... Error! Bookmark not defined. March 6- April 6, 2015 Impacts of Nutrition Transition in Ecuador 2 IMPACTS OF NUTRITION TRANSITION IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES OF NORTHERN ECUADOR: WHAT CAN WE DO NEXT? Fellowship Rationale and Objectives The Department of Family Medicine at McGill University developed a participatory research partnership with Andean communities of Northern Ecuador that has been ongoing since 2008.
    [Show full text]
  • `Desculturizacion,' Urbanization, and Nutrition Transition Among Urban
    public health 176 (2019) 21e28 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Public Health journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/puhe Themed Paper e Original Research ‘Desculturizacion,’ urbanization, and nutrition transition among urban Kichwas Indigenous communities residing in the Andes highlands of Ecuador * V.A. Chee a, , E. Teran b, I. Hernandez b,c, L. Wright a, R. Izurieta a, M. Reina-Ortiz a, M. Flores b, S. Bejarano a, L.U. Dao a, J. Baldwin d, D. Martinez-Tyson a a University of South Florida, College of Public Health, Tampa, FL, USA b Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Colegio de Ciencias de la Salud, Quito, Ecuador c Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Ecuador, Facultad de Enfermerı´a, Quito, Ecuador d Northern Arizona University, Center for Health Equity Research, Flagstaff, AZ, USA article info abstract Article history: Background: The nutrition transition continues to affect populations throughout the world. Received 11 February 2018 The added impact of market integration and urbanization exacerbates the impact of the Received in revised form nutrition transition upon Indigenous populations worldwide. 25 March 2019 Objectives: This study aims to explore the nutritional concerns of the urban Kichwas Accepted 17 July 2019 community residing in the Andes highlands of Ecuador. Available online 1 November 2019 Study design: This is a qualitative study. Methods: Eight focus groups were conducted with Kichwas men and women in November Keywords: 2015 in the Imbabura province of the Andes in Ecuador. Nutrition transition Data analysis: Applied thematic analysis was used to analyze findings regarding nutrition. Desculturizacion Results: The participants shared concerns regarding increased intake of fast food, poor meal Urbanization timing, and a shift in the child's food preferences that rejects traditional foods.
    [Show full text]
  • Preliminary Outline for Obesity in China
    The Move towards Obesity: the nutrition transition in China Paper prepared for the International Economic Development Program Ford School of Public Policy University of Michigan April, 2006 Melissa D'Arcy, Patrice Harduar, Mariana Orloff, and Ana Karina Rozas Table of Contents The Move towards Obesity: the nutrition transition in China ........................................................ 1 Table of Contents............................................................................................................................ 2 Section 1: Executive Summary...................................................................................................... 3 Section 2: Introduction................................................................................................................... 3 Section 3: Important causes of obesity in China............................................................................ 4 Nutrition Transition .................................................................................................................... 4 Nutrition Transition and Economic Development in China ....................................................... 6 Nutrition Transition and the One-Child Policy........................................................................... 9 Section 4: Obesity trends in China............................................................................................... 10 Section 5: Government Policies..................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Rapid Urbanization and the Nutrition Transition in Southern Africa
    RAPID URBANIZATION AND THE NUTRITION TRANSITION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA Jonathan Crush, Bruce Frayne and Milla McLachlan Crush, Jonathan, Bruce Frayne and Milla McLachlan. (2011). “Rapid Urbanization and the Nutrition Transition in Southern African.” Urban Food Security Series No. 7. Queen’s University and AFSUN: Kingston and Cape Town. REFERENCES AFRICAN FOOD SECURITY URBAN NETWORK (AFSUN) AFRICAN FOOD SECURITY URBAN NETWORK (AFSUN) RAPID URBANIZATION AND THE NUTRITION TRANSITION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA URBAN FOOD SECURITY SERIES NO. 7 AFRICAN FOOD SECURITY URBAN NETWORK (AFSUN) RAPID URBANIZATION AND THE NUTRITION TRANSITION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA JONATHAN CruSH, BruCE FRAYNE AND MILLA MCLACHLAN URBAN FOOD SECURITY SERIES NO. 7 Previous Publications in the AFSUN Series No 1 The Invisible Crisis: Urban Food Security in Southern Africa No 2 The State of Urban Food Insecurity in Southern Africa No 3 Pathways to Insecurity: Food Supply and Access in Southern African Cities No 4 Urban Food Production and Household Food Security in Southern African Cities No 5 The HIV and Urban Food Security Nexus No 6 Urban Food Insecurity and the Advent of Food Banking in Southern Africa Authors Jonathan Crush is the Co-Director of AFSUN, Professor of Global Develop- ment Studies at Queen’s University and Honorary Professor at the University of Cape Town. Bruce Frayne is the Director of the Master of Development Practice program and Assistant Professor in International Development in the School of Envi- ronment, Enterprise and Development (SEED), Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo. Milla McLachlan is Professor and Director, Research and Information, in the Division of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch.
    [Show full text]
  • Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity
    REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON ENDING CHILDHOOD OBESITY REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON ENDING CHILDHOOD OBESITY WHO Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data Report of the commission on ending childhood obesity. 1.Pediatric Obesity – prevention and control. 2.Child. 3.Feeding Behavior. 4.Food Habits. 5.Exercise. 6.Diet. 7.Health Promotion. 8.National Health Programs. I.World Health Organization. ISBN 978 92 4 151006 6 (NLM classification: WS 130) © World Health Organization 2016 All rights reserved. Publications of the World Health Organization are available on the WHO website (www.who.int) or can be purchased from WHO Press, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland (tel.: +41 22 791 3264; fax: +41 22 791 4857; e-mail: [email protected]). Requests for permission to reproduce or translate WHO publications –whether for sale or for non-commercial distribution– should be addressed to WHO Press through the WHO website (www.who.int/about/licensing/copyright_form/en/index.html). The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted and dashed lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.
    [Show full text]
  • Worldwide Obesity Dynamics and Their Determinants
    International Journal of Obesity (2004) 28, S2–S9 & 2004 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved 0307-0565/04 $30.00 www.nature.com/ijo PAPER The nutrition transition: worldwide obesity dynamics and their determinants BM Popkin1* and P Gordon-Larsen1 1Department of Nutrition, Schools of Public Health and Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA OBJECTIVE: This paper explores the major changes in diet and physical activity patterns around the world and focuses on shifts in obesity. DESIGN: Review of results focusing on large-scale surveys and nationally representative studies of diet, activity, and obesity among adults and children. SUBJECTS: Youth and adults from a range of countries around the world. MEASUREMENTS: The International Obesity Task Force guidelines for defining overweight and obesity are used for youth and the body mass index Z25 kg/m2 and 30 cutoffs are used, respectively, for adults. RESULTS: The nutrition transition patterns are examined from the time period termed the receding famine pattern to one dominated by nutrition-related noncommunicable diseases (NR-NCDs). The speed of dietary and activity pattern shifts is great, particularly in the developing world, resulting in major shifts in obesity on a worldwide basis. Data limitations force us to examine data on obesity trends in adults to provide a broader sense of changes in obesity over time, and then to examine the relatively fewer studies on youth. Specifically, this work provides a sense of change both in the United States, Europe, and the lower- and middle-income countries of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.
    [Show full text]
  • The Nutrition Transition and Indicators of Child Malnutrition
    The nutrition transition and indicators of child malnutrition Simon C. Kimenju and Matin Qaim Invited paper presented at the 5th International Conference of the African Association of Agricultural Economists, September 23-26, 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Copyright 2016 by [authors]. All rights reserved. Readers may make verbatim copies of this document for non-commercial purposes by any means, provided that this copyright notice appears on all such copies. The nutrition transition and indicators of child malnutrition Simon C. Kimenju*1 and Matin Qaim2 1Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development, P.O. Box 20498-00200, Nairobi, Kenya 2Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Georg-August-University of Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, Germany *Corresponding author: Simon C. Kimenju, P.O. Box 20498-00200, Nairobi, Kenya. Telephone: +254-20-2347297 / 3504316; Email: [email protected] 1 The Nutrition Transition and Indicators of Child Malnutrition Abstract We analyze how the nutrition transition, which involves a westernization of diets and increased consumption of calorie-dense, processed foods, affects child malnutrition in developing countries. It is often assumed that the nutrition transition affects child weight but not child growth, which could be one reason why child underweight decreases faster than child stunting. But these effects have hardly been analyzed empirically. Our cross-country panel regressions show that the nutrition transition reduces child underweight, while no consistent effect on child overweight is found. Against common views, our results also suggest that the nutrition transition reduces child stunting. Further research is required to confirm these findings. Keywords: Nutrition transition, malnutrition, stunting, underweight, obesity Introduction Nutrition and diets in many developing countries are changing rapidly.
    [Show full text]