scholarly journals Country Level Sales of Ultra-Processed Foods and Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Predict Higher BMI and Increased Prevalence of Overweight in Adult and Youth Populations

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 825-825 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Eaton

Abstract Objectives Ultra-processed foods (UPF) and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) comprise over 50% of energy intake in most upper-middle and high-income contexts. Higher intake of UPF and SSB is associated with an increased prevalence of overweight and obesity at the individual level, but few studies have examined the association between UPF, SSB, and BMI at the country level. The objective of this study was to evaluate global trends in UPF and SSB sales and associations with trajectories of change in BMI and prevalence of overweight, and obesity. Methods Data on UPF and SSB sales was collected from EuroMonitor International; BMI, overweight, and obesity prevalence from the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration; and potential confounders from the World Health Organization Global Health Observatory. Longitudinal multi-level models were used to estimate the relationship between country-level UPF/SSB sales and weight trajectories for adults and children and adolescents less than 19 years, for both general population and sex disaggregated. Results UPF sales grew 2.7% between 2005 and 2018. Sales were highest in high income contexts of North America (139.3 kg/person/year) and Europe (117.3 kg/p/y) but grew most rapidly in low and lower-middle income countries, particularly South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. SSB sales grew 1.9% but ranged from −22.4% in North America (120.3 liters/person/year in 2018) to 144.7% in South Asia (7.3 liters/p/year). Both UPF and SSB were significant and positive predictors of BMI; 1 SD increases in sales predicted mean population BMI increases between 0.2 kg/m² and 0.5 kg/m². Neither UPF nor SSB predicted obesity, but both were significantly associated with overweight prevalence trajectories for the adult general population and for males. Associations remained controlling for both country calorie supply and physical inactivity prevalence. In children and adolescents (5–19 years), SSBs significantly predicted BMI levels and obesity prevalence, while only UPF was associated with overweight. Conclusions UPF and SSB sales have a significant impact on country-level BMI trajectories. At current rates, upper-middle income countries will soon equal high-income contexts in UPF/SSB consumption and BMI trajectories. Findings suggest the need for global level action to limit UPF and SSB consumption. Funding Sources No funding sources declared.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Alexander Itria ◽  
Stéfani S. Borges ◽  
Ana Elisa M. Rinaldi ◽  
Luciana Bertoldi Nucci ◽  
Carla Cristina Enes

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the potential impact of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes on overweight and obesity prevalence in countries of different income classifications. Design: Systematic review following PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO number CRD42020161612). Five databases (Cochrane Library, Embase, LILACS (via Virtual Health Library) and MEDLINE (via PubMed), and Web of Science were searched, from January 2009 up to December 2019. Articles that reported changes in purchases, sales, intake, body weight, BMI, overweight and/or obesity prevalence due to a tax on, or price change in SSBs were included. Setting: Studies conducted in countries of different income classifications. Participants: The search yielded 8,349 articles of which twenty-one met inclusion criteria. Results: Among the 16 studies selected, only 2 did not show that consumption, sales and purchase decreased as the price of SSBs increased. In 8 of the 13 studies selected, a positive effect of an SSB tax on decreasing overweight and obesity prevalence was expected. It is estimated that a 20% taxation on SSBs would result in a greater decrease in the prevalence of overweight and obesity compared to a 10% rate. Studies with no significant effect of taxing on sales, purchases, consumption and prevalence of obesity were from high-income countries, while significant effects of taxing on reducing purchase, consumption and/or obesity prevalence were found in studies from upper-middle and middle-income countries. Conclusion: A high SSB tax might be an effective fiscal policy to decrease purchase and consumption of SSBs and reduce overweight/obesity prevalence, especially if the tax were specific for beverage volume.


Author(s):  
Odgerel Chimed-Ochir ◽  
Diana Arachi ◽  
Tim Driscoll ◽  
Ro-Ting Lin ◽  
Jukka Takala ◽  
...  

Background: This study compares estimates of the global-level mesothelioma burden with a focus on how existing national mortality data were utilized and further assesses the interrelationship of country-level mesothelioma burden and asbestos use with national income status. Methods: Country-level mesothelioma deaths in the WHO Mortality Database as of December 2019 were analyzed by national income category of countries in terms of data availability and reliability. Numbers of mesothelioma deaths from the study of Odgerel et al. were reanalyzed to assess country-level mesothelioma death burdens by national income status. Results: Among 80 high-income countries, 54 (68%) reported mesothelioma to the WHO and 26 (32%) did not, and among 60 upper middle-income countries, the respective numbers (proportions) were 39 (65%) countries and 21 (35%) countries, respectively. In contrast, among 78 low- and lower middle-income countries, only 11 (14%) reported mesothelioma deaths while 67 (86%) did not. Of the mesothelioma deaths, 29,854 (78%) were attributed to high- and upper middle-income countries, and 8534 (22%) were attributed to low- and lower middle- income countries. Conclusions: The global mesothelioma burden, based on reported numbers, is currently shouldered predominantly by high-income countries; however, mesothelioma burdens will likely manifest soon in upper middle-income and eventually in low and lower middle-income countries.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. e0163358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon S. Nakhimovsky ◽  
Andrea B. Feigl ◽  
Carlos Avila ◽  
Gael O’Sullivan ◽  
Elizabeth Macgregor-Skinner ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Wrishmeen Sabawoon

Abstract Objective: To describe differences by country-level income in COVID-19 cases, deaths, case-fatality rates, incidence rates, and death rates per million population. Methods: Publicly available data on COVID-19 cases and deaths from December 31, 2019 to June 3, 2020 were analyzed. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to examine associations of country-level income with COVID-19 cases, deaths, case-fatality rates, incidence rates, and death rates. Results: A total of 380,803 deaths out of 6,348,204 COVID-19 cases were reported from 210 countries and territories globally in the period under study, and the global case-fatality rate was 6.0%. Of the total globally reported cases and deaths, the percentages of cases and deaths were 59.9% and 75.0% for high-income countries, and 30.9% and 20.7% for upper-middle-income countries. Countries in higher-income categories had higher incidence rates and death rates. Between April and May, the incidence rates in higher-income groups of countries decreased, but in other groups, it increased. Conclusions In the first five months of the COVID-19 pandemic, most cases and deaths were reported from high-income and upper-middle-income countries, and those countries had higher incidence rates and death rates per million population than did lower-middle and low-income countries. Keywords: COVID-19, incidence rate, death rate, case fatality rate, income, and country


Author(s):  
María A. González-Álvarez ◽  
Angelina Lázaro-Alquézar ◽  
María Blanca Simón-Fernández

Infant obesity has become one of the most serious global health challenges of our time. The combined prevalence of overweight and obesity has rapidly increased worldwide during the last two decades, especially in some developing countries where obesity is reaching levels on a par with some industrialized countries, or even higher. This fast growth has occurred especially in countries in the midst of rapid social-economic transitions. Most international comparisons focus on the adult population while analyses focusing on the child population are more limited. Using the methodology developed by Phillips and Sul [1], this paper studies the worldwide evolution of infant body mass index (BMI), overweight and obesity prevalence for a large sample of countries during the period 1975-2016. Our results indicate that the figures for BMI or the prevalence of obesity in different countries do not converge, while the opposite is the case for overweight prevalence in children. Furthermore, there is a non-linear relationship between obesity and income or human capital, indicating that low and middle-income countries require a strong initiative for health policies targeting obesity prevention.


Author(s):  
María A. González-Álvarez ◽  
Angelina Lázaro-Alquézar ◽  
María Blanca Simón-Fernández

Childhood obesity has become one of the most serious global health challenges of our time. The combined prevalence of overweight and obesity has rapidly increased worldwide during the last two decades, especially in some developing countries where obesity is reaching levels on a par with some industrialized countries, or even higher. This fast growth has occurred especially in countries in the midst of rapid social-economic transitions. Most international comparisons focus on the adult population while analyses focusing on the child population are more limited. Using the methodology developed by Phillips and Sul, this paper studies the worldwide evolution of children’s body mass index (BMI), overweight and obesity prevalence for a large sample of countries during the period 1975–2016. Our results indicate that the figures for BMI or the prevalence of obesity in different countries do not converge, while the opposite is the case for overweight prevalence in children. Furthermore, there is a non-linear relationship between obesity and income or human capital, indicating that low and middle-income countries require a strong initiative for health policies targeting obesity prevention.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 182
Author(s):  
Max Carlos Ramírez-Soto ◽  
Miluska Alarcón-Arroyo ◽  
Yajaira Chilcon-Vitor ◽  
Yelibeth Chirinos-Pérez ◽  
Gabriela Quispe-Vargas ◽  
...  

There is a gap in the epidemiological data on obesity and COVID-19 mortality in low and middle-income countries worst affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including Peru. In this ecological study, we explored the association between body mass index (BMI), the prevalence of overweight and obesity, and the COVID-19 mortality rates in 25 Peruvian regions, adjusted for confounding factors (mean age in the region, mean income, gender balance and number of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds) using multiple linear regression. We retrieved secondary region-level data on the BMI average and prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in individuals aged ≥ 15 years old, from the Peruvian National Demographics and Health Survey (ENDES 2020). COVID-19 death statistics were obtained from the National System of Deaths (SINADEF) from the Peruvian Ministry of Health and were accurate as of 3 June 2021. COVID-19 mortality rates (per 100,000 habitants) were calculated among those aged ≥ 15 years old. During the study period, a total of 190,046 COVID-19 deaths were registered in individuals aged ≥ 15 years in 25 Peruvian regions. There was association between the BMI (r = 0.74; p = 0.00001) and obesity (r = 0.76; p = 0.00001), and the COVID-19 mortality rate. Adjusted for confounding factors, only the prevalence rate of obesity was associated with COVID-19 mortality rate (β = 0.585; p = 0.033). These findings suggest that as obesity prevalence increases, the COVID-19 mortality rates increase in the Peruvian population ≥ 15 years. These findings can help to elucidate the high COVID-19 mortality rates in Peru.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1038
Author(s):  
Ana Carolina B. Leme ◽  
Sophia Hou ◽  
Regina Mara Fisberg ◽  
Mauro Fisberg ◽  
Jess Haines

Research comparing the adherence to food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) across countries with different socio-economic status is lacking, which may be a concern for developing nutrition policies. The aim was to report on the adherence to FBDGs in high-income (HIC) and low-and-middle-income countries (LMIC). A systematic review with searches in six databases was performed up to June 2020. English language articles were included if they investigated a population of healthy children and adults (7–65 years), using an observational or experimental design evaluating adherence to national FBDGs. Findings indicate that almost 40% of populations in both HIC and LMIC do not adhere to their national FBDGs. Fruit and vegetables (FV) were most adhered to and the prevalence of adhering FV guidelines was between 7% to 67.3%. HIC have higher consumption of discretionary foods, while results were mixed for LMIC. Grains and dairy were consumed below recommendations in both HIC and LMIC. Consumption of animal proteins (>30%), particularly red meat, exceeded the recommendations. Individuals from HIC and LMIC may be falling short of at least one dietary recommendation from their country’s guidelines. Future health policies, behavioral-change strategies, and dietary guidelines may consider these results in their development.


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