Key points from article :
A new study published in The Lancet, led by Prof. Emmanuela Gakidou from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, predicts that by 2050, more than half of all adults worldwide will be overweight or obese. The study, which analysed data from over 200 countries, also projects that one in three children, teenagers, and young adults will be affected by obesity, with rates rising most rapidly in low-income countries.
Obesity rates have already doubled since 1990, with nearly 50% of adults classified as overweight or obese by 2021. If current trends continue, 57.4% of men and 60.3% of women will be overweight or obese by 2050. Countries with the largest affected populations will include China (627 million), India (450 million), and the USA (214 million). In sub-Saharan Africa, the number of overweight or obese adults is expected to rise by 250%, with Nigeria projected to become the fourth-largest affected country by 2050.
The study acknowledges that new weight-loss medications could influence these projections but emphasizes the urgent need for government action. Dr. Jessica Kerr, co-lead author from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Australia, highlights that obesity rates among children and young adults have already more than doubled since 1990. Without intervention, obesity could become intergenerational, leading to serious health, financial, and societal consequences.
Experts call for targeted prevention strategies for populations at risk, particularly in Europe, South Asia, North America, and the Middle East. If urgent action is taken, there is still an opportunity to prevent a complete global obesity crisis and reduce the burden on healthcare systems.
