Urbanization, lifestyle changes and the nutrition transition

Broad shifts are occurring at a rapid pace in the structure of diet, physical activity patterns, and obesity patterns in urban areas in lower income countries. Examples from China and selected other countries along with pooled time-series and cross-sectional analysis of shifts in diet and occupation structure associated with urbanization are presented. Patterns of obesity from nationally representative surveys indicate that the problems of obesity and dietary excess represent an important challenge facing many lower income countries; particularly their urban populations. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.