Quiz #3 - Level 2

Read the passage below:

Obesity Around the World

     There are now almost one billion obese adults in the developing world. This figure was around 250 million in 1980. The number of people with obesity has reached high levels in the last 35 years. A report from the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) said one person out of three is overweight. The institute wants all world governments to do more to change what people eat. The biggest reasons why people are heavier is that they have more money, and less time, leading them to spend money in junk food and no time at home cooking healthy meals. Today, people spend the majority of their time at work and school, and they do not have time to cook and prepare home-cooked that include vegetables, healthy protein and fruit at home. Because of this, not many people are eating a balanced diet, and fewer people are eating traditional, healthier food. Steve Wiggins from the ODI says: "Changes in lifestyle, the increasing availability of processed foods, and advertising have all led to dietary changes.”

     However, it's not all bad news. Three countries, Denmark, South Korea and the United States have done well in the past few decades to campaign against this serious problem. Denmark introduced laws against bad oils or trans-fat oils. In this country, restaurants and food producers must be very careful about the kind of fats they use to cook their food. South Korea started a public education program 20 years ago. It informs people about the problems related with obesity. The United States government promotes for people and children to play sports, such as baseball, basketball, soccer and swimming. Also, in the U.S. parents are encouraged to prepare healthy meals that include a variety of fruits and vegetables. However, unlike other countries, the government in the U.S. must pass laws and put a ban on junk food at schools. Finally, people must keep in mind that obesity can reduce how long we life or life expectancy, and lead to serious illness such as heart disease and diabetes, but doing more physical activity, and exercise will reduce illnesses and make us all feel better.