TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Half of all adults in Taiwan are either overweight or obese, as well as one in three children and adolescents, according to Lin Wen-yuan (林文元), chair of the Taiwan Medical Association for the Study of Obesity.

Lin said more than 10 million adults, or 50.3% of people in Taiwan aged 18 and above, fall into the category of overweight or obese, classifications determined by a person's body mass index, with 24 to 26.9 signaling overweight and 27 or higher signaling obesity.

Lin made the remarks commemorating World Obesity Day on Tuesday, noting that obesity is a risk factor for a number of diseases. Lin said that many Taiwanese have an improper understanding of weight management, per UDN.

According to Lin, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way that many people work and live. During the pandemic, with more people working remotely and limited public interaction, more people adopted a sedentary lifestyle and an increased dependence on fast food and delivery services. 

Lin said that according to forecasts by the World Obesity Federation, the proportion of overweight or obese adults in Taiwan is increasing at a rate of 4.1% per year, and a 5% increase among children and adolescents. Lin said key factors in weight loss are diet and regular exercise.

Ni Yen-hsuan (倪衍玄), president of the Taiwan Pediatric Association, said that childhood obesity may cause sleep apnea, abnormal development of height and weight, and the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Furthermore, more than 70% of such children will continue to be overweight and obese as adults and risk an even higher risk of death.

Ni said parents seeking weight loss for their children should start by reviewing the family's diet. Children’s weight and development should be regularly monitored and reviewed by pediatricians if necessary.

For children over 12 years old, if there is evidence that medication can be used to assist weight loss if necessary after evaluation, parents are encouraged to take the initiative to start a dialogue so as not to miss the opportunity for healthy development.

In the past three years, the Food and Drug Administration has approved two major weight-loss drugs. Lin said that GLP-1 gut-derived incretin hormone reduces body weight by reducing food intake and appetite, while the other weight loss drug suppresses appetite by combining antidepressants and opioid receptor antagonists.

Furthermore, medication combined with surgery provides the medical community with a variety of intervention methods to assist patients in weight loss. However, weight loss drugs need to be prescribed by a physician and should be obtained independently.

Lin warned the public that weight loss drugs of unknown origin, such as those from the internet, should not be taken as they may be counterfeit or inferior drugs. Weight loss should also be supervised by a physician to improve effectiveness, reduce side effects, and ensure safe weight loss.