
-
Djokovic stays on track for Wimbledon glory under Federer gaze
-
Belgian Merlier wins crash-marred Tour de France stage
-
Djokovic battles back against De Minaur to stay on track for Wimbledon glory
-
Israel, Hamas hold indirect talks ahead of Netanyahu-Trump meet
-
Trump steps up pressure for deals as US tariff deadline nears
-
Iran president says Israel attempted to assassinate him
-
Russia says minister fired by Putin killed himself
-
Ex-All Black Nonu extends Toulon deal, aged 43
-
Stocks diverge as US tariff deadline looms
-
French court dismisses government Covid response probe
-
Children's camp confirms 27 dead, with Texas flood toll over 80
-
BRICS' criticism brings Trump 10% tariff threat
-
Houses made from rice: Kyrgyzstan's eco-friendly revolution
-
Croatia govt lashed over 'disgraceful neo-fascist Woodstock'
-
Victims of London 7/7 attacks remembered as king hails 'spirit of unity'
-
Poland starts border checks with Germany in anti-migrant clampdown
-
Wiaan Mulder: slow ascent to Test cricket's batting heights
-
England coach McCullum says paceman Archer 'ready to go' against India
-
Djokovic, Sinner on Wimbledon collision course
-
Vaughan says Crawley 'lucky' to have so many England caps
-
Russian forces claim first foothold in new Ukraine region
-
US envoy says satisfied with Lebanese response on disarming of Hezbollah
-
European stocks, dollar firm as US tariff deadline looms
-
Wimbledon blames 'human error' for embarrassing line-calling glitch
-
Three things learned from British Grand Prix
-
NGOs laud tougher Malaysia plastic trash import laws
-
Mulder makes highest South Africa Test score
-
UK marks London 7/7 attacks as king hails 'spirit of unity'
-
Apple appeals 500-mn-euro EU fine
-
Crowds celebrate Nepal ex-king's birthday in show of support
-
Bali flights nixed after huge Indonesia volcano eruption
-
Hamas, Israel resume talks as Netanyahu set to meet Trump
-
Hong Kong fans queue for opening of Cristiano Ronaldo exhibition
-
Itoje back as Lions take no chances against ACT Brumbies
-
Stock markets struggle as Trump's tariff deadline looms
-
Nearly 450,000 Afghans left Iran since June 1: IOM
-
North Korea bars Western influencers from trade fair tour
-
Typhoon Danas kills two, injures hundreds in Taiwan
-
Dutch coastal village turns to tech to find lost fishermen
-
Boxer Chavez's appeal against arrest if deported from US rejected: Mexico prosecutor
-
India captain Gill hailed back home after 'brilliant' Test win
-
The making of Australia's mushroom murders
-
Indonesia volcano spews 18-kilometre ash tower
-
Youthful Chelsea ready for Thiago Silva reunion at Club World Cup
-
Australian inquiry cites racism in Indigenous shooting
-
Djokovic wary despite Wimbledon form, dominant Sinner faces Dimitrov
-
Australian woman found guilty of triple murder with toxic mushrooms
-
Indonesia volcano spews 18-kilometre ash tower: agency
-
Trump says to send first tariff letters on Monday
-
The strange case of Evgeniya Mayboroda, Russia's rebel retiree

Rising obesity projected to hamper developing economies: report
Rising levels of obesity are set to cost the world economy 3.3 percent of GDP by 2060, slowing development in lower-income countries and making it hard for people to lead healthy lives, according to a new study published Wednesday.
The peer-reviewed paper, published in BMJ Global Health, provides the first country-by-country estimate of the economic impacts of obesity, a major driver of other non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart conditions.
It also included projections for the numbers of people in each country who are overweight or obese -- defined as a body mass index in adults greater or equal to 25 and 30, respectively.
"Globally, nearly two in three adults are now living with overweight and obesity. And we project that will be three in four adults by 2060," lead author Rachel Nugent told reporters at a briefing on the margins of the UN General Assembly.
The conditions currently cost 2.2 percent of global GDP, and the biggest increases are expected to be seen in lower-resourced countries.
China, the United States and India are projected to experience the highest impact in absolute terms -- costing the countries $10 trillion, $2.5 trillion and $850 billion, respectively.
As a proportion of the economy, the worst impacted countries are set to include the United Arab Emirates, where obesity would account for 11 percent of GDP, and Trinidad and Tobago at 10.2 percent.
The report analyzed both direct costs, made up primarily of medical fees, and indirect costs from premature mortality and lost productivity. Previous papers had only focused on the former.
"Less visible costs constitute a drag on development," said Nugent, vice president of non-communicable diseases at non-profit research firm RTI International.
"We could be developing and growing faster, and improving people's livelihoods faster, if we were not sort of experiencing this lower productivity, early mortality."
- No to stigma -
Population and economic growth are the primary drivers of obesity prevalence -- as countries increase their incomes, they experience changes in diet to highly processed foods, she explained.
In rich nations, aging populations are also a major factor as older people find it harder to lose weight.
Francesco Branca of the World Health Organization said there were a number of ways to respond to the obesity epidemic and avoid the worst outcomes.
"Having policies that, for example, shape the pricing of food -- so the foods which are contributing most to obesity, such as drinks or foods high in fat and sugars need to be priced higher," he said.
Other steps include better labeling -- and in addition to prevention measures, better access to counseling and drug therapies as treatments.
The report stressed the economic costs of high weight and obesity "are not attributable to individual behavior" but rather a consequence of social and commercial priorities shaping environments.
As such, responsibility for tackling the issues lies with those in power.
"We need to recognize that obesity is a complex disease with complex interactions and solutions and stop blaming these conditions on individuals, stop the stigma," said Simon Barquera, director of Mexico's Nutrition and Health Research Center.
Y.Aukaiv--AMWN