Every country in the world is affected by obesity, but some of the lower-income nations have seen the most startling increases in their obesity rates during the past ten years.
By 2035, adult obesity will be prevalent at a rate of 67% in Kiribati, a Pacific Island nation that is thought to be among the least developed in this region. This is a bit more than the forecasts for Samoa, French Polynesia, and Micronesia, where 66%, 65%, and 64% of adult populations, respectively, are predicted to be obese by 2035.
The biggest risk of being fat by 2035 is among children and adolescents who live in low-income nations. In fact, the Atlas projects that the 2020 obesity rates for females will be 4% and for boys would be 2%.According to current projections, the world economy will lose out on almost USD 4 trillion in potential income due to obesity and overweight in 2035.
Based on how high BMI values influence the onset of 38 diseases, the costs associated with an increasingly overweight population. Many cancers, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, liver and renal disease are among the serious comorbidities of obesity.
In addition to the expenditures associated with managing these health concerns, obesity and its concomitant health conditions are also linked to early retirement, long-term incapacity, and unemployment. Significantly, the Global Obesity Atlas’ estimate of the global economic impact of obesity did not take into account how these factors might also raise national expenses, indicating that the expanding obesity epidemic will likely be more expensive than current estimates have predicted.Throughout the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, national lockdowns significantly restricted the ability of many people to leave their homes. As a result, dietary and sedentary behaviors often associated with weight gain increased.
These behaviors included, but are not limited to, reduced physical activity levels and greater daily consumption of processed foods, particularly among children. For example, one study conducted in China that included over 10,000 adolescents and young adults found that the prevalence of obesity increased from 10% to 12.5%, whereas the overweight prevalence similarly increased from 21% to 25%.
Previous studies have consistently demonstrated that population-level weight gain is difficult to prevent or reverse. Thus, the rapid rise in weight gain due to the COVID-19 pandemic may lead to even higher obesity, and overweight levels than current estimates have accounted for.
