Microwaves may be to blame for kick-starting the obesity epidemic, a UK scientist suggests.
Professor Jane Wardle says obesity rates started to rise soon after 1984 – around the time of the rapid spread of microwave ownership. The mid-1980s also saw the first ready-meals appearing in shops. In 1980, 8% of women and 6% of men were classified as obese. By 2004 this had increased to 24% of men and women.
“I looked at the figures showing rates of obesity in the population over many years and it seem very clear it began between 1984 and 1987. So then we looked at what changes were going on in the food and activity world at that time and one of the striking changes was there were differences in the speed with which we could prepare a meal as a consequence of the introduction of microwaves.”
