Overweight and Obesity
In recent years, Asia has not only recorded high rates of economic growth but also of accelerating prevalence of overweight and obesity, which are important risk factors for various chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and some cancers. This project aims to better understand the determinants of the growth of overweight and obesity in Asia and the Pacific and to estimate their costs for health systems and the economy.
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Wealthy But Unhealthy: Overweight and Obesity in Asia and the Pacific: Trends, Costs, and Policies for Better Health
High rates of overweight and obesity in Asia and the Pacific seriously threaten people’s health and undermine the region’s prosperity. -
Economic Impact of Obesity in the Republic of Korea
Obesity harms health and quality of life, and burdens the economy of the Republic of Korea. -
The Imminent Obesity Crisis in Asia and the Pacific: First Cost Estimates
Overweight and obesity cost Asia and the Pacific 0.78% of their GDP or US$166 billion annually. -
The Nutrition Transition and the Intra-Household Double Burden of Malnutrition in India
Undernutrition is declining in India while overnutrition and obesity are on the rise. -
Obesity in Thailand and Its Economic Cost Estimation
Obesity in Thailand gives rise to health problems and has economic costs. -
Economic Influences on Child Growth Status, from the Children’s Healthy Living Program in the US-Affiliated Pacific Region
The US-affiliated Pacific region needs policies that promote an active lifestyle and healthy food environment. -
Effectiveness of Obesity Prevention and Control
Sugar-sweetened beverage taxes and nutrition labeling can help prevent obesity. -
Socioeconomic Inequity in Excessive Weight in Indonesia
Policy makers in Indonesia must address the growing prevalence of obesity in poorer households. -
International Trade and Determinants of Price Differentials of Insulin Medicine
This paper examines the international trade and price of insulin using detailed trade data for 186 importing countries from 1995 to 2013.
Overweight and obesity are on the rise in Indonesia. The results of the Basic Health Survey, a national, community-based survey that measures body mass index (BMI), for 2007, 2010, and 2013 show the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity in Indonesia.
The Pacific Island region is made up of 22 island countries and the territories of Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia. There is great cultural diversity in the region, with about 1,200 languages spoken and a variety of exotic cultures. Surrounded by the vast Pacific Ocean, the land mass of the countries varies considerably.
With Asia’s growth averaging more than 6 percent since the start of the millennium, the region’s income per capita was almost three times higher in 2015 than it was in 2000. Poverty has plunged, and so too have deaths from communicable diseases thanks to the wider use of vaccines and better sanitation.
Obesity is a state of excessive body fat accumulation and is difficult to measure. Body mass index (BMI)—defined as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters—has been used traditionally for its simplicity and the availability of data.
When we talk about the cost of being obese, many people will imagine the personal spending due to obesity, e.g. special clothing, housing, and transportation that may be different from the requirements of non-obese people, or even the medical expenses arising from obesity-related illnesses.
New ADBI research (Aizawa and Helble, forthcoming) studies how overweight and obesity have become major threats to public health in Indonesia. The evidence shows that obesity, which was previously a problem among high-income groups in the country, has spread across all income groups.
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Obesity in Asia and the Pacific: Facts, Prospects, Consequences, and Policies for Better Health
This event aims to examine the determinants and economic costs of overweight and obesity in Asia and the Pacific. -
Overweight and Obesity in Asia and the Pacific: Facts, Prospects, Consequences, and Policies for Better Health
This event aims to examine the determinants and economic costs of overweight and obesity in the Asia and Pacific region. -
Seminar: Asia and the Pacific’s Health Trends: Obesity, NCDs and ADB’s response in the New Operational Plan for Health 2015-2020
This seminar will discuss why and how obesity and non-communicable diseases which are on the increase, are rapidly over-burdening health systems, increasing family's out-of-pocket expenditure, and affecting countries economic growth.
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Tale of Two Cities: 5 Easy Ways to Encourage Healthier Lifestyles
Obesity is a serious and growing threat to the prosperity of Asia, costing the region US$166 billion annually. ADBI has five easy things governments can do to beat obesity and promote healthier living among citizens. Let’s Get Moving Now! -
Obesity in Asia and the Pacific: Facts, Consequences, and Policies for Better Health
The Asian Development Bank Institute estimates that obesity can cost economies as much as 5% of GDP. It recommends changes on two fronts. Matthias Helble, research economist at ADBI, proposes that to reduce this expenditure it is necessary to firstly, make school food healthier and label foods to show what’s in them and secondly, make exercise easier, safer, and more attractive. -
Treating Diabetes: How to Keep Insulin Costs Down
Matthias Helble, Research Economist, Asian Development Bank Institute, examines ways countries can bring down the cost of insulin in an environment which has seen a dramatic upsurge in diabetes cases worldwide.
Obesity and overweight are among the main risk factors of noncommunicable diseases that kill millions of people worldwide. How much do these diseases cost health systems and economies?
Obesity has reached world-wide epidemic proportions. Overweight and obesity weaken the body, hamper lower-body mobility, and impede daily activities. In older people, they cause physical dysfunction and increase the risk of disability. Overweight and obesity also raise the risks for ischemic heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and certain cancers.