ABSTRACT
Worldwide approximately 1 billion adults are currently overweight (Body mass index (BMI) 25–29.9 Kg/m2), and a further 475 million are obese (BMI >30 Kg/m2) (Bray et al. 1998). In 2004, increased BMI alone was estimated to account for 2.8 million deaths, while the combined total with physical inactivity was 6 million (WHO: www.who.int/whr/2004/en/2004). The World Health Organization has stated, ‘obesity is one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century’ (WHO, op. cit.). Although the world is in the middle of an obesity epidemic, our treatments for this condition are poor.
