Source Credit: Gulf News
Dubai: Nearly 60% of adults and one-third of children worldwide will be overweight or obese by 2050 unless urgent action is taken, a new Lancet study warns.
The research, based on data from 204 countries, highlights obesity as one of the greatest health challenges of the century.
The number of overweight or obese individuals rose from 929 million in 1990 to 2.6 billion in 2021. Without intervention, it could reach 3.8 billion adults, around 60% of the global adult population by 2050.
The study also predicts a 121% increase in obesity among children and adolescents, with a third of obese youth expected to be in North Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
By 2050, a quarter of the world’s obese population will be over 65 years old, posing a severe burden on global healthcare systems."The unprecedented global obesity epidemic is a monumental societal failure," said lead author Emmanuela Gakidou from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).
Study co-author Jessica Kerr emphasized the need for stronger political commitment to transform diets and promote better nutrition, physical activity, and healthier living environments."We need urgent strategies to tackle processed food consumption and create healthier spaces," Kerr said.
Global Hotspots include More than half of the world's overweight or obese adults already live in just eight countries: China, India, United States, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Indonesia and Egypt.
While poor diet and sedentary lifestyles are key contributors, researchers note unexplained obesity trends among socially deprived groups, requiring further investigation.
The study, part of the Global Burden of Disease project, was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
