Geneva, March 1 (IANS) – A recent study released by the Lancet has revealed that more than one billion people worldwide are living with obesity, with every eighth person affected. The study highlighted the significant increase in obesity among adults and children over the last three decades, emphasizing the link to various diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
According to the study, obesity among adults has more than doubled globally, while among children and adolescents, the condition has increased four times. Additionally, the study found that 43 per cent of adults were overweight in 2022, indicating a concerning trend in global health.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, emphasized the importance of preventing and managing obesity from early life to adulthood through diet, physical activity, and adequate care. He stressed the need for collaborative efforts from governments, communities, and the private sector to address this public health challenge and meet global targets for curbing obesity.
The WHO has played a significant role in data collection and analysis for this study, which also highlighted the rates of undernutrition as a public health concern in various regions, particularly in South-east Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Combined rates of underweight and obesity were reported in island nations in the Pacific and the Caribbean, as well as in the Middle East and North Africa.
At the World Health Assembly in 2022, around 31 countries adopted the WHO Acceleration plan to combat obesity, supporting country-level actions through 2030. These actions include promoting breastfeeding, regulating harmful marketing of food to children, nutrition labeling policies, public education campaigns, and standards for physical activity in schools to promote healthy lifestyles and combat obesity.
The fight against obesity requires a comprehensive approach involving multiple stakeholders and evidence-based policies to address this global health challenge effectively.
