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ONE in 10 people in Singapore is obese, with men having overtaken women as the fatter sex. The latest National Health Survey results released last November showed that 10 per cent are obese, up from the 6.9 per cent of a sample population surveyed six years earlier.
Obesity rates for both men and women have bulged in that time, but it is the men who have surged past the women. In 2004, 6.4 per cent of all men were obese – defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more – compared with 7.3 per cent of all women. But now, the number of obese men is 12.1 per cent, compared to 9.5 per cent for women.
Young adults aged 30 to 39 are the most obese group (12.2 per cent), followed by seniors aged 60 to 69 (7.2 per cent).
Malays are the most prone to obesity, with one in four considered obese, double the national average. This is followed by Indians, with the Chinese considered fittest. The obese are at greater risk of ailments such as diabetes and heart disease.
The Health Promotion Board (HPB), citing a lack of exercise and a growing penchant for eating out as major factors in expanding waistlines here, has over the years targeted educational campaigns in schools to nip unhealthy eating habits in the bud. Among the new initiatives is engaging food companies on responsible public advertising.
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