WHO Pledges to "Reinvigorate" Its Efforts to Combat Global Obesity

Officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) told the organization's World Health Assembly in Geneva that changes in human behavior around the world are leading to negative health impacts.

"The world is living dangerously: either because it has little choice, or because it is making wrong choices about consumption or activity," said Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of the WHO.

"Concerted and evidence-based action is urgently needed to reduce these risks particularly -- among children and teenagers -- in order to prevent disease," said a report that promised that WHO will "reinvigorate" its work on diet, food safety and nutrition.

WHO officials are looking at two strategies, including working with individuals to inform them on how to make better food choices and seeking to reduce heavy-handed marketing that works against efforts to get people to make good, informed choices, especially at a young age.

An estimated 22 million of the world's children under five are overweight or obese. In some parts of Africa, overweight and obesity affect more children than malnutrition, according to an expert with the International Obesity Task Force. A total of 300 million people worldwide are obese and 750 million are overweight.

Other sources: World Health Organization