Obesity rocketing in Panama
(Newsroompanama.com) Obesity cases in Panama climbed over 250 percent in 9 years says Panama’s Ministry of Health, They increased from 13,739 in 1999 to 34,394 in 2008.
Obesity, which has been discussed several times by Newsroom Panama columnist, Dr Eric Ulloa, an advisor to the Ministry of Health, is the cause of a number of serious health issues, hypertension, diabetes and heart and liver disease, said Flavia Fontes, coordinator of nutrition programs for the Ministry.
The World Health Organization says 1.6 billion people are overweight worldwide, and 400 million suffer from obesity. The numbers are predicted to grow to 2.3 billion overweight and 700 million obese, in the next five years.
Elias Elias Cabrera, national director of the Consumer Protection Authority, called for local officials to take urgent action, including controlling the advertising and promotion of "junk food."
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Original Source: Newsroompanama.com
Date Retrieved: November 28, 2010.
