Gill Tim
Centre for Public Health Nutrition, University of Sydney. Australia.
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2006;15 Suppl:3-14.
The Asia-Pacific region contributes more than half the world population and includes some of the world richest and most developed countries alongside some of the world's poorest and least developed countries. Despite persisting levels of underweight in some countries, overweight and obesity have become a major public health concern for almost the entire region. Official levels of obesity ranges from over 80 % of the entire adult population of some Pacific nations to less than 3 % in the Philippines. There remains much debate about the most appropriate BMI cut points to define the overweight and obesity in Asian populations and thus the true levels of obesity are likely to higher in most Asian countries. The causes of this rapid increase in overweight within the region are likely to be complex. However, rapid development leading to a shift away from traditional diets to an eating pattern containing more high fat, high energy foods and drinks together with a significant reduction in physical activity through shifts in occupational and recreational patterns is likely to be major contributors to the problem. This weight gain has been associated with an epidemic of chronic diseases such diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancers which is threatening to overwhelm the health care systems of less developed countries and results in an enormous, health, social and economic burden to the region.
亚太地区人口占世界人口一半以上，既有一些世界上最富裕和最发达的国家，也有一些世界上最贫穷和最不发达的国家。尽管一些国家仍存在体重不足的情况，但超重和肥胖已成为几乎整个地区的主要公共卫生问题。官方统计的肥胖率从一些太平洋国家成年人口的80%以上到菲律宾的不到3%不等。关于界定亚洲人群超重和肥胖的最合适体重指数切点仍存在很多争议，因此在大多数亚洲国家，实际肥胖率可能更高。该地区超重现象迅速增加的原因可能很复杂。然而，快速发展导致从传统饮食转向包含更多高脂肪、高能量食品和饮料的饮食模式，同时职业和娱乐模式的转变使身体活动显著减少，这可能是导致该问题的主要因素。这种体重增加与糖尿病、心血管疾病和癌症等慢性疾病的流行有关，这可能会压垮欠发达国家的医疗系统，并给该地区带来巨大的健康、社会和经济负担。
