Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: If no action is taken, more than half of the world’s population will be obese or overweight by 2035, according to the World Obesity Federation.
According to a report, more than four billion people will be affected, with rates starting to rise fastest among children. The greatest increases are expected in low- and middle-income African and Asian countries.
According to the report, the annual cost of obesity will exceed $4 trillion (£3.3 trillion) by 2035. Prof Louise Baur, president of the federation, described the report’s insights as a clear warning to countries to act now or face long-term consequences. The report specifically highlights rising obesity rates among children and teenagers, with rates expected to get double from 2020 levels in both groups.
Policymakers around the world about obesity
Prof Baur described the trend as “particularly concerning,” adding that “world governments and policymakers must do everything possible to avoid passing on health, social, and economic costs to the younger generation” by examining “the systems and root factors” that contribute to obesity.
The report also emphasizes the effects of obesity prevalence in low-income countries. Nine of the ten countries in Africa and Asia with the highest expected increases in obesity are low or lower-middle-income states.
Trends in dietary preferences towards more highly processed foods, increased levels of sedentary behavior, weaker policies to control food production and marketing, and less well-resourced healthcare services to aid in weight management and health education are among the reasons. Lower-income countries are frequently the least able to respond to obesity and its consequences.
According to the findings, rising obesity rates worldwide will significantly affect worldwide economic growth, amounting to 3% of global GDP.
The report emphasizes that its acknowledgment of the economic effects of being overweight “is in no way a reflection of the blame on people living with obesity”. The report’s findings will be presented to the United Nations on Monday.
Obesity is a medical term describing a person with a large excess of body fat. The report bases its conclusions on the body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated by dividing an adult’s weight by their height squared.
