Obesity affecting wealthy, middle classes more than poor in developing countries, study says

"'First world' health problems such as obesity and heart disease may be gaining ground in developing nations, but they are mostly afflicting the rich and middle class while poor people remain undernourished and underweight," according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Reuters reports. "Researchers who looked at more than 500,000 women from 37 mid- and low-income nations in Asia, Africa and South America found that there was a clear divide between the better-off and the poor," Reuters states, adding, "Across countries, the wealthier the women were, the higher their average [body mass index (BMI)], a pattern that held steady over time." The news service notes, "The pattern is different from that seen in wealthy nations, such as the United States, where lower incomes and less education often correlate with higher weight" (Norton, 11/3).