Obesity has been a global epidemic for some time, but the latest studies suggest that it has now hit 1 billion worldwide. It had largely been considered an issue isolated to the western world and it’s diet full of highly processed foods, however, that is no longer the case. The rates of obesity have skyrocketed, particularly among children and teens, with a quadrupling in numbers since 1990. This alarming trend calls for urgent action before things escalate even further.
The Alarming Statistics
According to a study conducted by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration and published in The Lancet, approximately 159 million children and teens and 879 million adults are estimated to have obesity globally.
The researchers analyzed height and weight from more than 220million people worldwide from more than 190 countries, meaning there was a very good sample size to work from.
Adults were said to have obesity if their BMI was more than 30. Children varied due to age and sex differences.
The Limitations of BMI
Whilst there are some limitations with BMI, most bodybuilders for example would end up classified as obese, these are outlier examples that won’t make much difference when we’re looking at numbers of this scale.
Obesity on the Rise Across the Globe
The study revealed that obesity rates are rapidly increasing in low- and middle-income countries. With areas such as Polynesia, Micronesia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa also seeing dramatic spikes in obesity. Including in regions which previously had a larger issue with underweight populations now facing a much larger issue with obesity than previous malnutrition issues.
The Shifting Lifestyle and Diet Patterns
The transition to industrialized lifestyles characterized by sedentary habits and the consumption of processed foods seems to be largely to blame.
Obesity In The US
Since the 90s the US obesity rates have surged, climbing from 21.2% to 43.8% among women and 16.9% to 41.6% among men from 1990 to 2022.The economic impact of adult obesity in the U.S. is staggering, ranging from $147 billion to nearly $210 billion annually. Much of this expenditure stems from treating obesity-related ailments like:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Hypertension, heart disease, and stroke
- Various cancers (breast, liver, pancreas, colon, rectum)
- Respiratory issues like sleep apnea and asthma
- Osteoarthritis
- Metabolic syndrome
- Fatty liver diseases
- Kidney ailments
- Challenges with fertility and sexual function
- Mental health disorders, including depression and eating disorders
The Burden on Children and Teens
The alarming rise in obesity among kids and teens is a real concern. When children are overweight, it often sticks with them into adulthood. This sets up a cycle of health problems that keep getting worse, which puts more strain on healthcare systems. But not only that, early obesity has a compounding effect greater than a period of obesity later in life.
Global Action Needed
Whilst there are some initiatives from organizations like the World Health Organization Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity, and Health or the Healthy Cities project it clearly is not enough. It seems apparent that more education is needed on a global scale to fully comprehend the nature of the industrializing world and humans more sedentary lifestyles. With a further emphasis on exercise and healthy diet from an early age. There is also a rise in obesity medications, like ozempic, but it is unlikely that these along will be nearly enough.