GENEVA: A comprehensive global study published in The Lancet journal has unveiled a staggering statistic: there are now more than one billion persons, spanning across children, teenagers, and adults, grappling with obesity on a global scale.
Conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), the analysis highlights a significant shift in global malnutrition trends, with obesity emerging as the most prevalent form of malnutrition across numerous nations. In stark contrast, the percentage of underweight people has declined since 1990.
According to the study’s findings, the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents has quadrupled since 1990, while the rate among adults has more than doubled in women and nearly tripled in men. In total, an estimated 159 million children and adolescents and 879 million adults were affected by obesity in 2022.
Study Underscores Dual Burden of Malnutrition
Furthermore, the percentage of underweight persons globally has decreased, with significant reductions observed particularly among children, adolescents, and adults. However, the study underscores the dual burden of malnutrition, with both obesity and underweight cases on the rise in various regions.
Senior Professor Majid Ezzati from Imperial College London expresses concern over the parallel rise in obesity rates among adults and children, emphasizing the importance of addressing both forms of malnutrition through improved access to healthy and nutritious foods.
The study involved over 220 million persons from more than 190 nations, with data collected on weight and height measurements. Analyzing trends from 1990 to 2022, the research involved collaboration from over 1,500 academics and researchers.
