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Global Changes in Food Supply and the Obesity Epidemic

  • Economy and Environment (GJ Egger, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Obesity Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

We explore how a global shift in the food system caused by global economic growth, increase in available food per capita and in food processing is a driver of the obesity epidemic.

Recent Findings

Economic development in most areas of the world has resulted in increased purchasing power and available per capita food. Supermarkets and a growing fast-food industry have transformed our dietary pattern. Ultra-processed food rich on sugars and saturated fat is now the major source of energy in most countries. The shift in food supply is considered a major driver of the obesity epidemic and the increasing prevalence of accompanying complications, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, the global shift might also have direct effects on the increase in type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, independently of overweight and obesity.

Summary

The shift in the food supply is a major driver of the obesity epidemic.

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Acknowledgments

Steno Diabetes Center, where the authors are employed, receives part of its core funding from unrestricted grants from Novo Nordisk Foundation and Novo Nordisk, and is owned by Novo Nordisk. The authors also have private equity interest in Novo Nordisk.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Steno Diabetes Center, Gentofte, Denmark

    Emilie H. Zobel, Tine W. Hansen, Peter Rossing & Bernt Johan von Scholten

  2. Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Peter Rossing

  3. Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark

    Peter Rossing

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  1. Emilie H. Zobel
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  2. Tine W. Hansen
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  3. Peter Rossing
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  4. Bernt Johan von Scholten
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Correspondence to Bernt Johan von Scholten.

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Emilie H. Zobel, Tine W. Hansen, Peter Rossing and Bernt Johan von Scholten declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Zobel, E.H., Hansen, T.W., Rossing, P. et al. Global Changes in Food Supply and the Obesity Epidemic. Curr Obes Rep 5, 449–455 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-016-0233-8

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