EFFECTS OF TRADE ON OBESITY RATES
Researchers have discovered that majority of obese people are now found in developing countries. It has also been established that trade has played a role in promoting obesity in those countries.
For many years obesity has been associated with what is called the global north but things are changing now. Developing countries are also struggling from the obesity challenges and associated risks.
Obesity is associated with health risks such as diabetes and high blood pressure. This is why policy makers in developing countries need to take action fast.
It’s time to prevent the obesity epidemic before it goes out of control. Mexico has been touted as a good example of developing countries which are struggling to deal with obesity. Official statistics have shown that between 1980 and 2012, obesity rates grew from 10% to 35% . In 2015, Mexico was ranked as a country with second largest population of obese people after the United States of America (USA).
Mexico might have been affected by the fact that 80% of her food imports are from the United States. The country imports foodstuffs which are classified as unhealthy.
And;
Nations have a lot to gain from trade. But weight gains and associated health losses from trade in foods gave been largely omitted from the equation. As developing countries around the world open up their food markets vis-avis industrialized countries- which tend to have a comparative advantage in more processed and less healthy foods- they may accelerate their ongoing nutrition transition. Obesity may put high costs on future health systems and the economies of Global South.- Vox EU
The above extract shows us that trade has an effect on obesity rates as it has been shown by the case of Mexico.
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