The proportion of obese adults has been increasing since 1993, reaching 24.0 percent in 2003 with relatively more females being overweight (27.3 percent) than males (20.9 percent), said Romulo Virola, secretary general of the National Statistical Coordination Board.

The proportion of overweight children aged 0 to 10 years were also increasing over the past years, Virola said, citing the latest statistics.

"In general, statistics show that there is an increasing trend in the proportion of underweight adolescents and an increasing trend in the proportion of overweight children, adolescents and adults," said the secretary general.

Virola attributed the trend to the increase of food consumption.

Based on the latest Food Balance Sheets, one Filipino consumed 284.1 grams of rice per day in 2001 from 261.8 grams in 1990, with an annual increase of 0.68 percent during the years in between, he said.

"No wonder, these days, you see too many big-bellied Pinoys (Filipinos)," said the secretary general.

"I hope this trend does not continue," he added.