Population obesity shift to blame for increase in disease

Widening waistlines and increased BMI are working in tandem with low rates of physical activity to increase risk, warn the authors of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report.

Between 1995 and 2007–08, men have on average added 2.4cm to their waist circumference and women have added nearly twice as much, at 4.6cm, the report shows.

The proportion of adults who are abdominally overweight increased from 45% to 60% in the time period, the researchers said.

In 2008, some 68% of men and 55% of women were overweight or