Global obesity rising faster in rural areas than cities, study finds

FILE PHOTO: A woman runs across the Millenium Bridge in front of the Shard on a sunny morning in London, Britain, May 8, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) - Global rates of obesity among people who live in the countryside are rising faster than those among city dwellers, in part due to greater access in urban areas to healthier foods and places to exercise, researchers said on Wednesday.

In a study of 33 years of trends in body mass index (BMI) across 200 countries and territories, the scientists found that people worldwide are getting heavier - with average weight rising by 5 to 6 kg (11 to 13 pounds) over the period of the study - and that most of the rise is due to gains in BMI in rural areas.