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Global shifts in the patterns of urban and rural weight increase

The prevalence of excess weight gain is increasing more rapidly in rural than in urban environments. Increased intake of ultra-processed foods has been associated with obesity, and the rise of supermarkets and marketing strategies may have contributed to the greater weight increases in rural areas.

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Correspondence to William H. Dietz.

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Dietz, W.H. Global shifts in the patterns of urban and rural weight increase. Nat Med 25, 1035–1036 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-019-0518-z

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