- Over a billion people worldwide suffer from obesity, with the WHO noting its impact on poorer nations and its increasing prevalence among children and adolescents, outpacing adults [1].
- In 2022, approximately 159 million children and adolescents and 879 million adults were obese globally, with India’s obesity rates rising significantly since 1990 [1].
- This study, based on data from over 220 million people in 190 countries, highlights a decline in underweight rates among children and adolescents and a halving among adults, making obesity the most common form of malnutrition in many nations [1].
- Obesity poses severe health risks, increasing the likelihood of death from heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers, and exacerbating mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic [1].
- Policy measures such as taxing sugary drinks, restricting the marketing of unhealthy foods to children, and subsidizing healthy foods are advocated by the WHO to combat obesity, emphasizing the need for regulatory interventions [1].
Reuters – More than a billion people worldwide are obese, WHO study finds