The Battle of the Bulge

Obesity is no longer an American disease. Globalization's bounty—economic development, lowered trade costs, and rising incomes—has turned it into a worldwide pandemic for rich and poor alike. If it's left unchecked, the economic health of developing countries will surely be crushed under the weight.

It's a Large World, After All

In countries both rich and poor, people are packing on the pounds. What's to blame? High-fat foods that are cheap and readily available, lack of exercise, and increasing urbanization. From Rio to Riyadh, scales are tipping from “fit” to “fat.”

Not So Little

Today's youth are officially the worst couch potatoes in history. Television lures them for hours on end, and junk food advertisements bombard kids at school and at home. If there's any doubt about fast food's reach, consider this: Ronald McDonald is now the second most recognized figure in the world, after Santa Claus.

Deadly Diets

As obesity rates soar, so too does the number of people with diabetes. In 1985, diabetes afflicted 30 million people around the world. A decade later, that figure had climbed to 135 million. Between 2000 and 2030, the number of diabetes patients will more than double to 366 million, costing hundreds of billions of dollars in medical care. Unhealthy diets deserve much of the blame. The most recognized foreign brand in China is Kentucky Fried Chicken's, and 25 percent of all vegetables eaten in the United States are french fries.

Air pollution and lack of proper sanitation are rightly cited as mortal dangers, but poor nutrition and lack of exercise are just as deadly. In some developing countries, being overweight has replaced concerns about access to safe drinking water. And in rich countries such as the United States, average life expectancies may decline by as many as five years unless drastic measures to combat obesity are taken soon.

Kelly D. Brownell and Derek Yach are, respectively, the director and associate director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University.