WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A new global study published in The Lancet predicts that by 2050, more than half of all adults and a third of children, teenagers, and young adults worldwide will be overweight or obese. The research, which analyzed data from over 200 countries, highlights a growing obesity crisis with severe health and economic consequences.
The research was led by Professor Emmanuela Gakidou from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, USA.
Currently, there are 2.11 billion adults aged 25 and older and 493 million children and young people aged 5 to 24 classified as overweight or obese. This marks a dramatic increase from 1990, when those numbers stood at 731 million and 198 million, respectively.
The study warned of a particularly steep rise in obesity among children and young people, with cases expected to surge by 121 percent. By 2050, an estimated 360 million young individuals will be living with obesity, posing significant long-term health risks.
Obesity rates varied across different regions, but more than half of overweight or obese adults belonged to these eight countries - China (402 million), India (180 million), the U.S. (172 million), Brazil (88 million), Russia (71 million), Mexico (58 million), Indonesia (52 million), and Egypt (41 million).
By 2050, around 130 million obese children and young people, roughly one-third of the global total, are projected to live in North Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean. This rapid increase is expected to put immense pressure on healthcare systems and economies in these regions.
Researchers emphasized that children today are gaining weight at a faster rate and at younger ages than previous generations. This early onset of obesity significantly raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and even cancer later in life.
The report added that the study does not account for the potential impact of new weight-loss medications, which could play a role in altering these predictions.
However, experts stressed that urgent action from governments is necessary to prevent a public health crisis and protect already vulnerable healthcare systems.
Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2025 AFX News
