Obesity, smoking and diabetes driving global rise in early deaths

The number of people in poor health worldwide has climbed by almost 50 percent since the turn of the millennium, with many at risk of dying prematurely due to being overweight with high blood pressure and blood sugar.

People face "increasing exposure to risk factors," including "low physical activity, and diet high in sugar-sweetened beverages," said Greg Roth of the Seattle-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).