According to the World Health Organization, the global epidemic of overweight and obesity - "globesity" - is rapidly becoming a major public health problem in many parts of the world. Paradoxically coexisting with undernutrition in developing countries, the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity is associated with many diet-related chronic diseases including diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, stroke, hypertension and certain cancers. For up to one-third of the world's population, vitamin and mineral deficiencies are keeping children from reaching their full physical and intellectual potential, according to two reports by UNICEF, reports USA Today. Obese adolescents have the same risk of premature death in adulthood as people who smoke more than 10 cigarettes a day, while those who are overweight have the same risk as less heavy smokers, according to research published on the British Medical Journal website. Being moderately overweight or obese ap