Health

The world is round and appears to be growing rounder.

The number of people who are overweight or obese worldwide could be as high as 1.7 billion, up from an earlier estimate of 1.1 billion, according to calculations released by one of the top international obesity experts.

The number has been revised because experts believe Asians are at risk of health complications from excess body fat at a lower weight than people from other countries, says Philip James, chairman of the International Obesity Task Force, a non-profit organization fighting obesity around the world.

The new number does not take into account Asian-Americans, who also might be at an increased risk at a lower weight.

James, a British nutrition expert, revealed the estimate at a meeting of international obesity experts in Monte Carlo during the weekend.

People are usually categorized as overweight if they have a body mass index, or BMI (a number that incorporates height and weight) equal to or greater than 25. That's roughly 10 to 30 pounds over a healthy weight. People are considered obese if they have a BMI of 30 or greater, which is 30 or more pounds too heavy. More than 120 million Americans are either overweight or obese.

An expert group with the World Health Organization is suggesting a new proposal that Asians are at increased risk of weight-related complications at a BMI of 23.

James says Asians have a tendency to develop more deep hidden belly fat, known as visceral or intra-abdominal fat, when they are just a few pounds overweight. This fat is considered the most dangerous kind and could increase a person's risk of diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.

"We should view a BMI of 23 among Asians as an action point to deal with weight-related complications," he says. "The evidence is clear that risks begin to rise for Asians at this point, and this may well apply to Asian-Americans and Asians living in other parts of the world."

Samuel Klein, president of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity, says the revised estimate takes into account the fact that "one definition of overweight does not fit all people" and that there are differences between ethnic groups.

James says simply educating people about obesity is not the solution. He says millions of dollars can be spent trying to educate people, and the impact on fat is negligible.

Not only do people have to find it easier to make exercise part of their daily lives, but also the food choices offered to people in abundance must be made healthier, he says.

"We all need to cut our consumption of high fat, sugary and salty foods and go for the foods we know will help us enjoy a longer, healthier life."