Lancet study shows obesity rates going up across world
- A recent study published in The Lancet unveils concerning trends in obesity rates among children, adolescents, and adults worldwide.
Key Findings
- The obesity rates among children and adolescents worldwide have increased fourfold since 1990.
- Among adults, the obesity rates have more than doubled during the same period.
- The total number of individuals affected by obesity globally has surpassed one billion.
- 159 million children and adolescents and 879 million adults were obese in 2022.
- The study identifies obesity as the most prevalent form of malnutrition in many countries, alongside a decline in underweight prevalence since 1990.
The Study
- The study was conducted by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) in collaboration with the WHO.
- Over 1,500 researchers in more than 190 countries analysed weight and height measurements of over 220 million people aged five years or older.
- They reportedly looked at body mass index (BMI) to understand how obesity and underweight have changed worldwide from 1990 to 2022.
Indian Perspective
- The researchers note the coexistence of both obesity and underweight in India, with increasing rates of abdominal and general obesity.
- As per The Lancet paper, in India, the obesity rate increased from 0.1% in 1990 to 3.1% in 2022 for girls, and 0.1% to 3.9%, for boys.
- In the prevalence of obesity category for girls and boys, India ranked 174th highest in the world in 2022.
- Among adults in India, the obesity rate has surged, reaching 9.8% in women and 5.4% in men by 2022, marking a substantial rise compared to 1990.
Prelims Takeaway
- World Health organisation (WHO)
- Body Mass Index (BMI)