Obesity epidemic impacting children worldwide, study finds
Obesity affects every system of the human body, so at a young age, it can seriously impact future life. More than 1 billion people worldwide live with obesity, and among those who fall into this category, a significant number are children, with their numbers growing. This is reported in a new study published in The Lancet journal on Thursday, February 29, by The Guardian.
«Analysis of weight and height measurements of over 220 million people from more than 190 countries shows how the body mass index has changed worldwide from 1990 to 2022. During this period, the obesity rate quadrupled among children and doubled among adults,» the researchers said.
It is noted that boys began to gain weight faster among children.
«Among girls worldwide, the obesity rate increased from 1.7% of the world’s population in 1990 to 6.9% in 2022. Among boys during the same period, it increased from 2.1% to 9.3%. Among women worldwide, the obesity rate increased from 8.8% to 18.5%, and among men, from 4.8% to 14%,» the study says.
Speaking about the geography of unhealthy weight, experts noted that in 2022, Tonga, American Samoa, and Nauru were countries with high levels of obesity — over 60%.
Lead author of the study, Professor Majid Ezzati, said that the results are «alarming,» as the obesity epidemic, evident among adults in most countries worldwide in 1990, is now reflected among school-age children and adolescents.
He also noted that at the same time, millions of people still suffer from malnutrition, especially in some of the poorest parts of the world.
Doctors emphasize that obesity affects every system of the human body, so at a young age, it can seriously impact a child’s life, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, cancer, mental health problems, and many other diseases, which could significantly shorten life expectancy.
