According to recent estimates by the World Health Organization and an international group of researchers, more than one billion people worldwide are obese. “A staggering number of people are living with obesity,” said Majid Ezzati, author of the paper, whose findings are based on data from more than 220 million people in more than 190 countries.
According to current estimates by the World Health Organization and an international group of researchers, more than one billion people worldwide are considered obese, at risk of numerous serious health problems.
Obesity is so widespread that it has become more common than being thin in most countries, including many low- and middle-income countries that previously struggled with malnutrition, Reuters reports.
“A staggering number of people are living with obesity,” said Majid Ezzati, author of the paper. The findings, considered among the most reliable of independent estimates, are based on data from more than 220 million people in more than 190 countries.
BEING THIN IS BECOMING LESS AND LESS COMMON
Ezzati added that while obesity rates have remained stable in many rich countries, they are rising rapidly elsewhere. While being underweight is becoming less and less common worldwide, it remains a major problem in many countries, leaving more and more countries facing what is known as the ‘double burden’ of malnutrition.
“In the past we thought obesity was a problem of the rich. Obesity is a problem of the world,” said Francesco Branca, WHO Nutrition Officer, at a press conference.
Obesity rates among adults more than doubled between 1990 and 2022, and more than quadrupled among children and adolescents aged 5-19, the report said. Over the same period, the proportion of girls, boys and adults considered underweight fell by one-fifth, one-third and half respectively, the analysis found.
THE INCREASE IN OBESITY IN CHILDREN IS ALARMING
Ezzati described the rise in obesity rates among children as “extremely worrying”, mirroring the trajectory seen in adults since 1990.
At the same time, he said, hundreds of millions of people still do not have enough to eat.
Being severely underweight can be very detrimental to children’s development and, in the most extreme case, can cause people to starve to death.
Obese people also face an increased risk of early death and disability, given the link to the early onset of diabetes, heart and kidney disease and many other serious health conditions.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said measures such as imposing a tax on high-sugar products and promoting healthy school meals are necessary to help tackle obesity rates.
“More importantly, it requires the cooperation of the private sector, which must be accountable for the health impacts of its products,” he added.
