How does life in the country and on the weight?

Rural life one of the main styles are the reason for the global obesity epidemic. This contradicts the widespread view that weight problems are particularly a Problem in towns and cities.

In a recent study by the Imperial College London it was found that a main reason for the increase in obesity and the lifestyle of the people in rural areas. The results of the study were published in the English journal “Nature”.

Obesity has become Mature since 1975, almost triple eight

The Rates of obesity have is since the year 1975 almost tripled, with the increase in the number of people living in cities, given sometimes as a cause. In the current study, the Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 112 million adults, the researchers noted, however, that the obesity is increasing everywhere, the BMI in rural communities is, however, increased faster than in cities. The results of the comprehensive global study refute the commonly held view that the increasing number of Europeans living in urban areas is the main cause for the worldwide rise in obesity, explain the authors of the study. This means that a rethink is needed to this global health issue.

What is the BMI?

The BMI is an internationally recognised Index, which is used to determine whether someone has a healthy body weight. A value between 19 and 25 on the scale is considered normal and healthy weight. The study found that 55 percent of the increase in average BMI occurred worldwide in rural communities. Both men and women, living in the country, the average BMI between the year 1985 and the year 2017, which is 2.1. In comparison, the increase in cities was 1.3 for women and 1.6 for men.

Poorer countries are even more severely affected

In most of the countries with low and middle incomes, the Trend was even more pronounced, since 80 percent of the rise in obesity of people in rural communities. One of the main reasons for this are style changes of life. For example, the increasing use of cars and the mechanization of agriculture meant that the rural way of life, it involves much less physical activity than in the past.

Cities offer a Wealth of opportunities for weight loss

The discussions about public health tend to focus on the negative aspects of life in cities, say the authors of the study. In reality, towns and cities offer a Wealth of opportunities for a better diet, more exercise and recovery, and improved overall health. Such opportunities are to be found in rural areas is often more difficult. There was, however, an exception to this Trend: women in rural sub-Saharan Africa have a lower BMI than counterparts in towns and cities. This is the researchers reported, mainly due to the fact that in many of these communities both in the domestic as well as agricultural life still on hand is dependent, such as fetching water over distances of one or several kilometers. (as)