Sizing up: how stadiums, hospitals and airlines are adapting to rise in obesity

With a study predicting that by 2050 more than half of adults and a third of children and young people worldwide will be overweight or obese, a swathe of industries are adapting to accommodate larger bodies. From hospitals to transport, stadiums to crematoriums, here are some of the adjustments being made.Airlines are increasingly trying to squeeze more passengers on to flights as they respond to rising demand, and aeroplane seats are getting smaller as a result. Some airlines have rebranded their seats as “slimline” – in Air Canada’s introduction of slimline seats, widths dropped from 47cm (18.5ins) to 43cm. As a result, plane travel has become increasingly difficult for obese passengers, with many airlines suggesting larger passengers book two seats instead of one, often at full price, and offering seatbelt extensions. Although not specifically targeted at larger passengers, Ryanair allows flyers to book two flight tickets, one under the name “extra comfort seat”, giving them the width of two seats and more personal space. Air France offers a 25% discount on extra seats for larger-bodied passengers if “the width of the seat is not sufficient”. Under Canadian airline rules, obese passengers travelling domestically can request an extra seat free of charge if they provide their BMI, height, weight and seated width measurements.<br/>