United States: A new study has revealed alarming projections for global obesity, warning that more than half of the world’s adults and a third of its youth could be overweight or obese by 2050. Researchers from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington analyzed data from over 200 countries, highlighting a rapidly increasing obesity crisis, particularly in lower-income nations.
Rising Trends and Global Impact
By 2021, nearly half of all adults- 1 billion men and 1.11 billion women, were classified as overweight or obese. These figures have doubled since 1990, and if current trends persist, obesity rates among adults are expected to rise to 57.4 percent for men and 60.3 percent for women by mid-century.
China (627 million), India (450 million), and the US (214 million) are forecasted to have the highest overweight populations by 2050. However, sub-Saharan Africa is projected to see a staggering 250 percent increase, with Nigeria’s overweight population soaring from 36.6 million in 2021 to 141 million by 2050.
Obesity rates among children, teenagers, and young adults have already doubled between 1990 and 2021, with projections indicating that one in three young people will be affected by 2050.
Researchers warn of severe consequences for future generations, including an increased burden on already strained healthcare systems.
Experts emphasize that while the study does not account for potential advancements in weight-loss medications, decisive government action- focusing on prevention, education, and healthcare interventions could still curb the looming crisis.
