Obesity among Asia-Pacific children a growing health crisis, study says

KUALA LUMPUR - Obesity rates among children in Asia-Pacific are rising at a rapid rate, and more action is needed to encourage healthier lifestyles and ease pressure on fledgling healthcare systems, researchers said.

The number of overweight children under five rose 38 percent between 2000 and 2016 in the region, and the problem is growing, said Sridhar Dharmapuri, a food safety and nutrition officer at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization in Bangkok.

"The rate of growth in obesity in Asia-Pacific is higher than in many other countries," Dharmapuri said.