A new report says that more than half of the world’s population will be overweight or obese by 2035, unless action is taken to reverse the situation.
report is expectedAtlas 2023According to the International Obesity Federation, 51% of the world’s population, or more than 4 billion people, will be obese or overweight in the next 12 years.
The report found that obesity rates are rising, especially among children, and in low-income countries.
Louise Bauer, president of the International Obesity Federation, called the data a “clear warning” and said policymakers needed to act now to prevent the situation from worsening.
“It is particularly worrying to see obesity rates rising most rapidly among children and adolescents,” she said in a statement.
“Governments and policymakers around the world must do everything they can to avoid incurring further health, social and economic costs.”
In its report, the federation said the cost to society of overweight-related health conditions is significant: more than $4 trillion annually by 2035, or 3% of global GDP.
However, the authors said they do not blame the individuals, but rather call for a focus on the societal, environmental and biological factors involved in these conditions.
The report uses body mass index (BMI) in its assessments, which is a number calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of their height.
In line with WHO guidelines, a BMI of over 25 means overweight and over 30 as obese.
In 2020, 2.6 billion people fall into these categories, or 38% of the world’s population.
The report also found that almost all countries expect to see the largest increase in obesity in the coming years, particularly low- and middle-income countries in Asia and Africa.
The data will be presented to decision makers in the United Nations and member states next week, she said Reuters.
