Over half of the world’s population is going to be overweight by 2035, finds a new report by the World Obesity Federation. This estimate roughly means more than 4 billion people will be considered overweight or obese within twelve years.
The report also finds that young children and those in poorer countries are increasingly more likely to be obese or overweight. To this end, the report estimates that childhood obesity rates will double by 2035, increasing to around 208 million boys and 175 million girls across the world.
The countries that are estimated to have the most significant jump in obesity rates are low or middle-income countries in Asia and Africa.
The resulting costs of this global obesity epidemic and treating the resulting health conditions are estimated at over $4 trillion per year.
Body mass index (BMI) is used in this report to determine what they define as obese or overweight. A person’s BMI is calculated by dividing their weight in kilograms by their height in meters. Someone with a BMI over 25 is considered overweight, and a score of over 30 is considered obese.
The World Obesity Federation is a non-profit organization that reports on and attempts to solve the worldwide obesity crisis. They are most known for organizing World Obesity Day, which happens every 4th of March and looks to increase worldwide awareness about the dangers of obesity.
Increasing obesity rates may be attributed to two major factors: a diet heavy in fat and sugar and a more sedentary lifestyle. Foods heavy in fat and sugar are high in calories and consuming more calories than you expend daily results in weight gain. It is difficult to lose weight when our society is becoming more sedentary. Sitting at work, watching television, and browsing social media will not help individuals lose weight.
“Governments and policymakers worldwide need to do all they can to avoid passing health, social and economic costs on to the younger generation,” Louise Baur, President of the World Obesity Federation, said. “If we act together now, we can help billions of people in the future.”
Share This Post On
0 comments
Leave a comment
You need to login to leave a comment. Log-in
