London: A recent study published in The Lancet warns that nearly 60% of the world’s adults and one-third of all children will be overweight or obese by 2050 unless urgent action is taken.
The research, conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), analyzed data from 204 countries and highlighted the growing obesity epidemic as one of the greatest health challenges of the century.
According to the findings, the number of overweight or obese individuals has tripled over the past three decades, rising from 929 million in 1990 to 2.6 billion in 2021. If current trends continue, the number could soar to 3.8 billion by 2050, straining global healthcare systems.
Lead author Emmanuela Gakidou called the obesity crisis a “monumental societal failure”, emphasizing the need for urgent policy interventions.
The study also forecasts a 121% increase in obesity among children and adolescents over the next 25 years. By 2050, one-third of all obese young people will be concentrated in North Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
With around a quarter of obese individuals expected to be over 65 years old by 2050, experts fear crippling pressure on healthcare systems, particularly in countries already struggling with high obesity rates.
Currently, over half of the world’s overweight or obese adults reside in just eight countries: China, India, the United States, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Indonesia, and Egypt.
Study co-author Jessica Kerr from Australia’s Murdoch Children’s Research Institute stressed the need for stronger political commitment to combat obesity.
“Transforming diets and improving access to better nutrition, physical activity, and healthier living environments is critical,” she said, adding that policies must address processed food consumption and limited recreational spaces.
While poor diets and sedentary lifestyles are key factors, experts argue that the underlying causes of obesity remain complex. Thorkild Sorensen, a researcher at the University of Copenhagen, noted that further investigation is needed to fully understand the epidemic’s root causes.
With obesity rates accelerating at an alarming rate, researchers emphasize that immediate global intervention is necessary to prevent severe health and economic consequences in the coming decades.
