Two recent studies reveal that the magnitude of the global obesity epidemic surpasses most other epidemics ; it is a “ catastrophe occurring in slow motion , ” warns Larry researchers at Johns Hopkins University . However , unlike Zika and Ebola , it garners less of an emergency response . Obesity is to account for as many as 3 - 4 million deaths a year with associated costs of over $ 200 , say reports , even impacting countries that have previously struggled with a lack of insulin . There has also been a significant increase in cases of diabetes worldwide , suggesting that attempts to control rising rates of obesity have so far been unsuccessful and that the rate of concern and urgency does not match the severity of the epidemic . While not all diabetes cases are related to obesity , it is a major risk factor for the most common cause of diabetes , Type II .
Two recent studies reveal that the magnitude of the global obesity epidemic surpasses most other epidemics; it is a “catastrophe happening in slow motion,” warns Larry Cheskin at Johns Hopkins University. However, unlike Zika and Ebola, it garners less of an emergency response. Obesity is to account for as many as 3-4m deaths a year with associated costs of over $2tn, say reports, even impacting countries that have previously struggled with a lack of food. There has also been a significant increase in cases of diabetes worldwide, indicating that attempts to control rising rates of obesity have so far been unsuccessful and that the rate of concern and urgency does not match the severity of the epidemic. While not all diabetes cases are related to obesity, it is a major risk factor for the most common type of diabetes, Type II.