One Billion People Worldwide Living with Obesity, Study Says
- Pexels/Andres Ayrton
The United States rates 10th highest in the world for obesity in men, results show. The nation also ranks 36th in obesity among women, 22nd in obesity among girls and 26th in obesity among boys.
The island nations of Tonga and American Samoa have the highest obesity rates in the world for women, while it is American Samoa and Nauru for men.
In Polynesia and Micronesia, more than 60% of the adult population is living with obesity.
There are many forces driving obesity around the world, according to the World Obesity Foundation. These include genetics, biology, access to health care and increased availability of calorie-dense foods that lack essential nutrients.
Researchers worry that major global issues will worsen both obesity and underweight.
“The impact of issues such as climate change, disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine risk worsening both rates of obesity and underweight, by increasing poverty and the cost of nutrient-rich foods,” researcher Guha Pradeepa, from the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, said in a journal news release.
These events have contributed to “insufficient food in some countries and households, and shifts to less healthy foods in others,” Pradeepa said.
“To create a healthier world, we need comprehensive policies to address these challenges,"
Dirjen WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
- Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization Director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated: “This new study highlights the importance of preventing and managing obesity from early life to adulthood, through diet, physical activity and adequate care, as needed,"
“Getting back on track to meet the global targets for curbing obesity will take the work of governments and communities, supported by evidence-based policies from WHO and national public health agencies,” Ghebreyesus added.
“Importantly, it requires the cooperation of the private sector, which must be accountable for the health impacts of their products," he concluded.
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