A recent report from the Lancet medical journal reveals that the global prevalence of obesity has surpassed one billion individuals, representing a more than four-fold increase since 1990. Researchers from the World Health Organization (WHO) highlight that lower-income nations are disproportionately affected by this "epidemic," with the rate of obesity rising among children and adolescents at a faster pace compared to adults.
The study, released ahead of World Obesity Day on March 4, estimated that there were about 226 million obese adults, adolescents and children in the world in 1990. The figure had risen to 1,038 million in 2022. Francesco Branca, director of nutrition for health at the WHO, said the rise past one billion people has come "much earlier than we have anticipated”.
Although physicians anticipated a significant increase in obesity rates, the milestone figure was originally projected for 2030. Lancet reports that researchers examined weight and height data from over 220 million individuals across 190 countries to derive their estimates. According to the study, approximately 504 million adult women and 374 million men were classified as obese in 2022. The research indicates that the obesity rate has nearly tripled among men (14 per cent) since 1990 and more than doubled among women (18.5 per cent).
