More than one billion people worldwide currently suffer from obesity, a number that has more than quadrupled since 1990, according to research published in the medical journal Lancet. The study, conducted in conjunction with the World Health Organization, said the “epidemic” is particularly hitting poorer countries, with infection rates increasing faster among children and adolescents than among adults.
The study, released ahead of World Obesity Day on March 4, estimates that in 1990 there were approximately 226 million obese adults, adolescents and children worldwide; In 2022, the number will increase to 1.038 billion. Francesco Branca, director of the WHO's health and nutrition department, said the population growth beyond one billion was “much faster than we expected.” (Also read: Yoga for weight management: 11 exercises to prevent obesity )
Doctors have known that the number of obese people was rising rapidly, but the symbolic figure had previously been predicted for 2030. To arrive at this estimate, researchers analyzed weight and height measurements from more than 220 million people in more than 190 countries, The Lancet said. Researchers estimated that 504 million adult women and 374 million men will be obese by 2022. The study found that obesity rates have nearly tripled in men (14%) and more than doubled in women (18.5%) since 1990.
Research shows that approximately 159 million children and adolescents will be living with obesity in 2022, up from approximately 31 million in 1990. Chronic and complex illnesses are associated with an increased risk of death from heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Being overweight increased the risk of death during the coronavirus pandemic.
Countries in Polynesia and Micronesia, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and North Africa have been hit even harder by this rise. “These countries currently have higher obesity rates than many high-income developed countries, especially European countries,” the study said. “In the past, we tended to think of obesity as a problem for the rich, but now it is a global problem,” Branca said, highlighting the rapid changes in lifestyles in low- and middle-income countries. did.
Unbalanced eating habits promote obesity
“The very rapid transformation of the food system is not for the better.” The study's lead author, Majid Ezzati from Imperial College London, said there were signs that obesity was leveling off in some southern European countries, such as France and Spain, “particularly among women”. But he said more people in most countries suffer from obesity than underweight, which the study shows has been declining since 1990.
Not eating enough is the main cause of being underweight, while improper diet is the main cause of obesity. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “This new study highlights the importance of preventing and managing obesity from childhood to adulthood through diet, physical activity and appropriate care when needed.” said.
He said getting “back on track” to achieving global obesity reduction targets “will require collaboration from the private sector, and the private sector must take responsibility for the health impacts of its products.” he added. The WHO has supported taxes on sugary drinks, restricted the sale of unhealthy foods to children, and increased subsidies for healthy foods.
Experts say new treatments for diabetes could also help fight obesity. Branca said new drugs are “an important tool, but they are not the solution to the problem.” “Obesity is a long-term problem and it is important to look at the impact these drugs have on long-term efficacy and side effects,” he added.
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