Report States 51% of the World Could be Obese by 2035
The world is round, and apparently getting rounder. That’s the takeaway from the experts behind this year’s World Obesity Report, which states that if trends continue, 51% of the global population could be obese by 2035.
The World Obesity Foundation’s findings further state that the economic impact of the health condition could top $4.32 trillion annually by 2035, if we all don’t get in better shape.
The think tank’s report notes that childhood obesity rates are skyrocketing all over the world, and by 2035 it could double from even 2020 levels: There could be some 208 million obese boys and 175 million girls in that category — respectively a 100% and 125% increase from 2020.
The experts also noted that lower income countries are getting fatter faster: Of the 10 countries with exploding rates of obesity, nine are from lower or middle income countries in either Asia or Africa.
Professor Louise Baur, president of the World Obesity Federation, said the report is a “clear warning” that something must be done, and “particularly worrying to see obesity rates rising fastest among children and adolescents.”
Johanna Ralston, CEO of the World Obesity Federation, added, “The economic impact of obesity is not the fault of individuals living with the disease. It is a result of high-level failures to provide the environmental, healthcare, food, and support systems that we all need to live happy, healthy lives.”
Baur adds, “Governments and policymakers around the world need to do all they can … 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.”
