At the other end of the malnutrition scale, obesity is one of today's most visible, yet most neglected, public health problems. Paradoxically, co-existing with under-nutrition, a global epidemic of overweight and obesity is taking over many parts of the world. If immediate action is not taken, millions will suffer from an array of serious health disorders. Obesity is complex condition, one with serious social and psychological dimensions, that affects virtually all age and threatens to overwhelm both developed and developing countries. As of 2000, the number of obese adults is over 300 million. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the obesity epidemic is not restricted to industrialized societies. In developing countries, it is estimated that over 115 million people suffer from obesity-related problems. Generally, although men may have higher rates of overweight, women have higher rates of obesity. For both, obesity poses a major risk for serious diet-related non-communicable diseases, including stroke and certain forms of cancer.