A recent study published in the Lancet medical journal has revealed a staggering increase in global obesity rates, which have more than quadrupled since 1990. The study, conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), highlights a concerning trend, particularly in poorer countries, where obesity rates are rising faster among children and adolescents than among adults.
According to the study, an estimated 226 million individuals were obese in 1990, a number that has surged to over one billion in 2022. Researchers analyzed data from more than 220 million individuals across 190 countries to arrive at these estimates.
In 2022, it was estimated that 504 million adult women and 374 million men were living with obesity. The study noted that the obesity rate has nearly tripled for men (14 percent increase) since 1990 and more than doubled for women (18.5 percent increase).
The number of children and adolescents affected by obesity has also seen a significant increase, rising from about 31 million in 1990 to 159 million in 2022. Countries in Polynesia and Micronesia, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and North Africa have been particularly affected by this rise.
Dr. Francesco Branca, a WHO expert on nutrition and author of the study, remarked, “In the past we have tended to think of obesity as a problem of the rich, now a problem of the world,” highlighting the fast-paced lifestyle changes in low and middle-income countries as a contributing factor.
Lead author of the study, Majid Ezzati from Imperial College London, pointed out that while there are signs of obesity leveling off in some southern European countries such as France and Spain, the global trend remains concerning.
The study also noted that in most countries, there are now more people suffering from obesity than from being underweight, a trend that has declined since 1990. Poor dietary habits are cited as a primary factor contributing to obesity, contrasting with the main cause of being underweight, which is not eating enough.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the importance of preventing and managing obesity from early life to adulthood through diet, physical activity, and adequate care. He also called for the cooperation of the private sector, urging accountability for the health impacts of their products to help meet global targets for cutting obesity rates.
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