STAT+: China, where obesity levels are low, becomes hotbed for weight loss drug trials

China has one of the lowest rates of obesity in the developed world. So why has it emerged as one of the top locations for testing the scores of new weight loss drugs cropping up every month?

According to a report from clinical research organization Novotech, China is the second-most-popular country for obesity trials in recent years, behind the U.S. and ahead of Australia. But just 6% of Chinese people are considered obese, compared to 31% of Australians and 40% of Americans. 

That may make the Chinese market seem small. But China has nearly 1.4 billion citizens, and the number eligible for obesity drug trials and treatments is growing. “What is interesting is that, although the rate of obesity in China is not that high, compared to other countries, I think within China itself, [the rate of] overweight and obesity continues to rise,” said Shipra Patel, the global head of endocrinology at the clinical research firm Parexel. “So, they do represent a sizable market for patients with obesity.”

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