According to the passage, why is obesity increasing faster in developing countries than developed ones?
Answer: B (The passage explains that as incomes rise in developing nations, people adopt Western diets and sedentary jobs.)
Write TRUE if the statement agrees with the passage, FALSE if it contradicts, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information.
6. Obesity rates in high-income nations have remained stable since 1975.
7. The global economic cost of obesity is expected to exceed one trillion US dollars annually by 2030.
8. The FAO has implemented a worldwide ban on junk food advertising.
9. Agricultural subsidies in many countries currently favor corn and soy over fresh produce.
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
1. According to paragraph A, what is especially surprising about the obesity epidemic?
A. It only affects adults over 40.
B. It has replaced malnutrition as a global problem.
C. It is now common in developing countries.
D. It has tripled since 1975.
2. The term âobesogenic environmentâ in paragraph B refers to surroundings that:
A. encourage healthy food choices.
B. discourage physical activity deliberately.
C. promote weight gain through various factors.
D. are found only in developed nations. the worlds expanding waistline ielts reading answers
3. Mexicoâs sugar tax resulted in:
A. a total ban on soft drinks.
B. a slight increase in fruit sales.
C. a measurable reduction in sugary drink purchases.
D. strong opposition from healthcare workers.
4. According to paragraph E, why are urban residents in developing countries vulnerable?
A. They have zero access to fresh food.
B. Their income rise enables purchase of processed food but not health facilities.
C. They must walk long distances to work.
D. They prefer traditional diets.
5. The author suggests that solving the crisis requires:
A. more gyms and personal trainers.
B. blaming individuals for overeating.
C. structural changes led by governments.
D. reducing the price of meat only.
Excess body weight increases risks for non-communicable diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and musculoskeletal disorders. The rising prevalence of obesity thus threatens to reverse public-health gains and increases healthcare costs and lost productivity.
Complete the summary using words from the passage.
The rise in global obesity is linked to a phenomenon called the (1) _______________, where nations move from traditional diets to diets high in (2) _______________. Additionally, the widespread availability of cheap (3) _______________ due to farming policies has made unhealthy eating affordable. According to the passage, why is obesity increasing
Answers:
For the first time in human history, the number of overweight people rivals the number of underweight people. While famine and food scarcity dominated the 20th century, the 21st century is defined by a silent, slow-moving pandemic: obesity. The worldâs waistline is expanding at an alarming rate, transforming from a problem of wealthy nations to a universal threat affecting low and middle-income countries the most.
A. The Statistics of Surplus According to the World Health Organization (WHO), global obesity rates have nearly tripled since 1975. In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults aged 18 years and older were overweight. Of these, over 650 million were obese. To put this in perspective, roughly 39% of the worldâs adult population carries excess weight. If post-2000 trends continue, it is projected that by 2030, approximately 57% of the worldâs adult population will be overweight or obese. This is not merely a cosmetic issue; it is a epidemiological time bomb.
B. The Nutrition Transition Nutritionists describe this phenomenon as the âNutrition Transitionâ. This model explains the shift from traditional, high-fibre diets to modern, high-fat, high-sugar, and high-calorie diets. Concurrently, the world has moved from manual labour to sedentary occupations. In developing nations, the adoption of a âWestern dietâârich in processed meats, sugary beverages, and refined grainsâhas occurred faster than economic growth can support public health infrastructure. Mexico, for instance, now has a higher obesity rate than the United States, largely due to the mass consumption of soft drinks and processed snacks.
C. The Double Burden of Malnutrition Perhaps the most cruel twist in this narrative is the âdouble burdenâ of malnutrition. This refers to the coexistence of undernutrition (stunting and wasting) alongside overweight and obesity within the same population, or even within the same household. In countries like India and Indonesia, a mother may be obese while her child is anaemic and underweight. This paradox results from poor maternal nutrition during pregnancy, leading to low birth weight, followed by accelerated weight gain in childhood due to calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods. Consequently, these children face a lifelong risk of chronic disease.
D. Economic Consequences The expanding waistline carries a staggering economic price tag. The McKinsey Global Institute estimated in 2014 that obesity costs the global economy $2 trillion annually, equivalent to the impact of smoking or armed conflict. These costs arise from direct medical care (diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis) and indirect costs such as absenteeism, reduced productivity, and early retirement. Countries with universal healthcare systems, such as the United Kingdom and Canada, report that obesity-related diseases consume between 4% and 8% of total national health budgets. Answer: B (The passage explains that as incomes
E. Failure of Individual Willpower For decades, the prevailing narrative blamed obese individuals for lacking self-control. However, mounting evidence suggests that biology overrides willpower. The human body evolved over millennia to defend against starvation, not against excess. When an overweight person loses weight, their body responds by increasing hunger hormones (ghrelin) and decreasing satiety hormones (leptin), creating a powerful biological drive to regain lost weight. Furthermore, the modern food environmentâwith cheap, hyper-palatable, ultra-processed foods available 24/7âexploits these ancient neurological pathways.
F. Potential Solutions Reversing this trend requires systemic, not individual, solutions. No single intervention works in isolation. Experts advocate for a âportfolio approachâ: taxation on sugar-sweetened beverages (as seen in Mexico and the UK), front-of-pack warning labels, restricting marketing of junk food to children, and subsidising fruits and vegetables. Urban planning also plays a role; designing cities for walkability and cycling reduces sedentary time. However, pharmaceutical interventions, such as GLP-1 agonists (e.g., semaglutide), represent a new frontier. While effective, their high cost raises ethical questions about equity in low-income nations.
G. Conclusion The worldâs expanding waistline is not a sign of prosperity but a marker of systemic failure. Without aggressive, multi-sectoral action, the generation of children alive today will be the first to live sicker and die younger than their parentsâ generation, not from infectious disease, but from the direct consequences of excess weight.
If you see the word "ubiquitous" in the passage (meaning everywhere), look for synonyms like "widespread" or "common" in the question. Do not panic â the answer is often a simpler word.
| Question | Correct Answer | Explanation (brief) | |----------|----------------|----------------------| | 1 | C | Paragraph A: âdeveloping countries now account for a significant proportionâ â this is the surprising aspect. | | 2 | C | âcreated an âobesogenic environmentââ â described by energy-dense food + low activity â promotes weight gain. | | 3 | C | âleading to a 5.5% drop in purchasesâ â a clear, measurable reduction. | | 4 | B | Paragraph E: âtheir incomes rise just enough to afford processed foods but not necessarily access to gyms or healthcare.â | | 5 | C | Paragraph F: âgovernment-led structural changes are essential.â | | 6 | FALSE | Passage says obesity tripled globally since 1975, not stable. | | 7 | TRUE | âProjections suggest that by 2030, the global cost ⊠could exceed $1.2 trillion.â | | 8 | NOT GIVEN | No mention of FAO imposing a ban. | | 9 | TRUE | ârethinking agricultural subsidies that currently favour corn and soy ⊠over fruits and vegetables.â | | 10 | cancers | Paragraph C: âincluding type 2 diabetes ⊠and certain cancers.â | | 11 | 5.5% | Paragraph D: âleading to a 5.5% dropâ | | 12 | convenience | Paragraph E: ârely on convenience foodsâ | | 13 | individual responsibility | Paragraph F: âPublic health experts argue that individual responsibility is insufficientâ |