In recent times, the world has hit a startling milestone: over one billion people are now living with obesity.
This finding comes from a comprehensive study featured in The Lancet, revealing a significant shift in global health trends. Unlike before, obesity has overtaken undernutrition as the most common nutritional challenge across many countries.
The investigation, pooling data globally, shows a worrying increase in obesity rates among both children and adults over the past few decades. Specifically, the study found that in 2022, 159 million youngsters and 879 million adults were grappling with obesity.
This is a stark rise from the past, with obesity rates for children and adolescents now four times higher than they were in 1990. For adults, the numbers have more than doubled for women and nearly tripled for men.
Interestingly, while obesity rates are soaring, the prevalence of underweight individuals is on the decline. Among the younger population, fewer girls and boys are underweight now than in 1990.
The same trend is observed in adults, where the proportion of those underweight has more than halved over the same period. This shift underscores a broad transformation in global nutrition challenges, with obesity now at the forefront.
The study, led by Professor Majid Ezzati of Imperial College London and conducted by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration in partnership with the World Health Organization, analyzed height and weight measurements of over 220 million people across 190 countries.
This deep dive into body mass index (BMI) data from 1990 to 2022 offers a detailed look at the evolution of obesity and undernutrition worldwide.
One of the most alarming findings is the rapid increase in obesity rates among children and adolescents, reflecting a trend that was previously more common among adults.
This raises concerns about the future health of this younger generation, highlighting the urgent need for access to healthy, nutritious foods.
Obesity and underweight are both considered forms of malnutrition, with significant health implications. Obesity, in particular, is linked with a range of chronic diseases and health issues.
The study’s findings call for a dual approach to tackle both undernutrition and obesity, emphasizing the importance of healthy diets and physical activity from an early age.
Globally, the shift towards a larger number of people being affected by obesity rather than undernutrition marks a significant change.
In two-thirds of the world’s countries, obesity rates now surpass those of underweight for both boys and girls.
This is especially pronounced in low to middle-income countries, some of which now have higher obesity rates than many wealthier nations.
The research also points to broader socio-economic factors influencing these trends, such as climate change, global pandemics, and geopolitical conflicts, which can exacerbate both obesity and undernutrition by making nutritious food more expensive and less accessible.
In conclusion, the global increase in obesity rates, coupled with a decline in undernutrition, signals a pivotal shift in the world’s nutritional challenges.
Addressing this issue requires a concerted effort from governments, communities, and the private sector to promote healthy lifestyles and ensure access to nutritious foods for all.
If you care about obesity, please read studies about Scientists find two big contributors to obesity and findings of Higher dose of this diabetes med could improve blood sugar and weight loss.
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The research findings can be found in The Lancet.
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