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Global Changes in Food Supply and the Obesity Epidemic

2016; Springer Science+Business Media; Volume: 5; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1007/s13679-016-0233-8

2162-4968

Emilie H. Zobel, Tine W. Hansen, Peter Rossing, Bernt Johan von Scholten,

Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling

We explore how a global shift in the food system caused by global economic growth, increase in available food per capita and in food processing is a driver of the obesity epidemic.Economic development in most areas of the world has resulted in increased purchasing power and available per capita food. Supermarkets and a growing fast-food industry have transformed our dietary pattern. Ultra-processed food rich on sugars and saturated fat is now the major source of energy in most countries. The shift in food supply is considered a major driver of the obesity epidemic and the increasing prevalence of accompanying complications, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, the global shift might also have direct effects on the increase in type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, independently of overweight and obesity. The shift in the food supply is a major driver of the obesity epidemic.