More than 40% of adults in the world now overweight, study finds

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In a new study from UK’s Middlesex University, researchers found the fight against obesity and undernourishment stalled during the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 40% of adults now obese or overweight.

They also revealed that more than 149 million children worldwide are stunted, as commitments to end all forms of malnutrition yield little.

Out of 194 countries assessed, only 105 are on track to meet the target of tackling overweight children and over a quarter are on track to meet stunting and wasting targets.

In the study, the team found that while the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has pushed 155 million people into extreme poverty globally, had exacerbated malnutrition in most poor countries, rich countries in the west had not fared much better.

The WHO targets also include three to tackle diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCD), on adult obesity and diabetes, raised blood pressure, and salt intake.

No country in Africa is on course to meet any of the diet-related NCD targets, and the only countries on course to meet both raised blood pressure and diabetes targets are a few high-income western nations.

Fruit and vegetable intake is still about 50% below the recommended level of four servings per day that is considered healthy, while legume and nut intakes are each more than two-thirds below the recommended two servings per day.

The team found in contrast, red and processed meat intake is on the rise and almost five times the maximum level of one serving per week, while the consumption of sugary drinks, which is not recommended in any amount, is growing as well.

They say that researchers need urgent intervention to stem this tide through improved nutrition.

The additional financing needed to meet nutrition targets has risen strongly, particularly due to COVID-19.

To address stunting, wasting, maternal anemia and breastfeeding alone would need around $10.8 billion additional financing between 2022 and 2030, according to the report.

In contrast, though, the total economic gains to society of investing in nutrition could reach $5.7 trillion a year by 2030, the report projects.

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The study is published in The 2021 Global Nutrition Report. One author of the study is Mariachiara Di Cesare.

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