A recent study published in The Lancet reveals an alarming rise in global obesity rates, impacting over one billion people and 43% of adults worldwide. The ‘big trouble’ lies in poor diets across the globe and the drastic increase in obese adults and children since 1990.
Researchers from the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration, a network of global health scientists, discovered that the number of adults carrying excess weight has more than doubled over the last three decades. Shockingly, the obesity rate among children aged between five and 19 years has quadrupled.
The study analysed data from 3,663 population-adaptive studies incorporating 222 million participants, utilizing different body mass index (BMI) measurements for adults, children and teenagers. Data spanning from 1990 to 2022 across 200 countries and territories were collected, with the US ranking 36th for obesity.
“This new study highlights the importance of preventing and managing obesity from early life to adulthood, through diet, physical activity, and adequate care, as needed,” revealed Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO).
However, poor diets, largely consisting of too many carbohydrates and fats, and too few proteins and vegetables, are found to be the primary cause of obesity. Economic disparity also plays a role, with lower-income areas often unable to access healthier food options.
To counter the obesity problem, lifestyle modifications such as increased intake of vegetables, fiber, and fish, alongside decreased consumption of alcohol, bread, pasta, rice, and desserts, were recommended. Regular exercise, reduced portion sizes, and increased water intake are also crucial weight management strategies.
In addition to lifestyle modifications, we also have effective weight loss medications — semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound) — which are best reserved for individuals who are genuinely obese and have failed lifestyle modifications,” remarked Dr. Siegel.
Obesity is a leading driver of fatal diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Alarmingly, obesity has now become the most common form of malnutrition affecting over one billion people, and nutritional imbalances continue to rise. Childhood obesity has quadrupled over the course of three decades, triggering a global health concern transcending wealth and national boundaries.
“What the study shows us is that malnutrition is being controlled very well in the world, except in some African countries. Better living conditions and economic development accompany this reduction. But no country in the world has managed to reduce obesity. This article shows that the problem is going in the wrong direction,” warns Fernando Rodriguez Artalejo, a professor of public health at the Autonomous University of Madrid.
The Lancet study concludes by stressing the urgency to curb the obesity epidemic while addressing food security in regions like Africa and South Asia. The authors criticized the lack of access to healthier food products for low-income populations and made it clear that the thrust should be on reshaping societal and agricultural policies, coupled with transformative food programs to address malnutrition in a comprehensive manner.
Information Box:
– Global obesity rate: 1 in 8 people are classified as obese.
– In 2022, over one billion people or 43% of adults were obese.
– The number of obese adults has doubled since 1990.
– The obesity rate among children aged 5 to 19 years has quadrupled.
– The USA ranked 36th out of 200 countries in terms of obesity.
– Obesity significantly contributes to incidences of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
2. NCD Risk Factor Collaboration
3. World Health Organization Press Release
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention