‘Worrying’ global obesity projections for 2035 revealed in new report

Health

By Brooke Kato

March 3, 2023 | 5:03pm

Well, this is heavy news.

Half of the world is on track to be overweight or obese by 2035, according to a new report by the World Obesity Federation.

The findings, published Thursday in the World Obesity Atlas 2023 report, suggest the global obesity epidemic will continue to snowball if prevention and treatment measures do not improve.

The report projects that 51% of the world’s population — more than 4 billion people — will be considered overweight or obese in just 12 years. Additionally, one in four people are predicted to be obese, a staggering jump from the one in seven living with obesity now.

The World Health Organization classifies overweight individuals as people with a body mass index of more than 25, while obesity is defined as a BMI of over 30.

According to Healthline, all 50 states have obesity rates of more than 20%, as more than two-thirds of the country are classified as either overweight or obese. Just last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that more than 75% of Americans do not meet the agency’s recommended exercise minimums.

The new federation report warns that childhood obesity is rising “particularly fast,” noting that rates could double among boys and increase by a whopping 125% among girls by 2035.

“In all, over 1.5 billion adults and nearly 400 million children will be living with obesity in 12 years time unless significant action is taken,” the report reads.

The report also found that lower-income countries are “facing rapid increases” as well, claiming that nine of the 10 countries that are estimated to see the most obesity increases are “low or lower-middle income countries.”

“This year’s Atlas is a clear warning that by failing to address obesity today, we risk serious repercussions in the future,” Louise Baur, World Obesity Federation president, said in a statement. “It is particularly worrying to see obesity rates rising fastest among children and adolescents.”

The “worrying” data follows the release of revised guidance for children experiencing obesity. In January, experts advised that children as young as 12 could benefit from weight loss medications, while 13-year-olds could be cleared for surgery.

The new guidance challenges the traditional thinking of “watchful waiting” — delaying treatment for overweight children and teens in case they grow out of it. But left untreated, the extra weight could lead to chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

“Governments and policymakers around the world need to do all they can to avoid passing health, social, and economic costs on to the younger generation,” Baur added.

“That means looking urgently at the systems and root factors that contribute to obesity, and actively involving young people in the solutions. If we act together now, we have the opportunity to help billions of people in the future.”

The global economic impact of the rising rate of obesity could reach $4.32 trillion annually by 2035, the report estimates, comparing the issue to the “impact of COVID-19 in 2020.”

World Obesity Federation CEO Johanna Ralston said she does not place “fault” on people living with obesity, but rather she blames “high-level failures.”

“Addressing these issues will be valuable in so many ways, to billions of people,” she said in a statement, calling on policymakers to take action. “We simply cannot afford to ignore the rising rates of obesity any longer.”