By John Ikani
The World Obesity Federation has sounded an alarm bell, warning that more than half of the world’s population will be classified as overweight or obese by 2035, if urgent action is not taken.
The federation’s report states that over four billion people will be affected, with the most significant increases expected among children in low or middle-income countries in Africa and Asia.
The report highlights that the increasing rates of obesity among children and teenagers are particularly alarming, adding that the cost of obesity is predicted to exceed $4tn annually by 2035.
It further posits that rising rates of obesity worldwide will have a significant impact on the global economy, equivalent to 3% of global Gross Domestic Product, according to the report.
The root causes of obesity identified in the report include; trends in dietary preferences towards more highly processed foods, sedentary lifestyles, weaker policies to control food supply and marketing, and less well-resourced healthcare services to assist in weight management and health education.
According to the report, nine of the 10 countries with the highest expected increases in obesity rates globally are low or lower-middle-income states in Africa and Asia.
The report stresses that these countries are often the least able to respond to obesity and its consequences.
Professor Louise Baur, the president of the federation, has urged governments and policymakers to “act now to avoid passing on the health, social, and economic costs of obesity to the younger generation” by assessing “the systems and root factors” that contribute to obesity.
The report which will be presented to the UN on Monday, emphasises that its acknowledgement of the economic impact of obesity “is in no way a reflection of blame on people living with obesity”.
The report uses body mass index, (BMI) to make its assessments, with “obese” used as a medical term to describe a person with a high excess of body fat.
