(NewsSpace.com) – Obesity can cause adverse health effects, which is why doctors track a person’s body mass index (BMI) and monitor blood pressure and other vitals. A recent study showed that at least one-eighth of the world’s population is now overweight.
At the end of February, the Lancet published its findings regarding obesity around the globe. What it found is concerning. The world obesity rate has topped one billion, which means one-eighth of the population is at risk of the health effects that come with being overweight. These afflictions include high blood pressure and diabetes.
According to the study, the rate of obesity more than doubled in women from 1990 to 2022, from 8.8% to 18.5%. In men, the findings were worse. Obesity nearly tripled in males, with the current rate, 14%, up from 4.8% in those 32 years. It’s not just adults at risk, either. The number of obese children is up nearly four times, particularly in boys.
While many people associate obesity with the US, the truth is, there are many nations where it’s prevalent. Mexico took the title of “most obese” in 2013, when around 70% of adults in the country were considered overweight. According to the study, the highest rate of obesity among women is prevalent in American Samoa and Tonga, and among men in Nauru and American Samoa. The lowest rates of obesity are in Vietnam, for women, and Ethiopia for men. In the US, more than four in 10 adults are overweight, while two in five children are struggling with weight issues.
World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addressed the issue and said it will take more than governmental intervention. The private sector, he said, “must be accountable for the health impacts of their products,” as well. According to the WHO, the causes and interventions to cure the epidemic are well-known, but not implemented. Member countries have adopted a plan to stop obesity, but to date, only 31 have taken steps to enact it.
Copyright 2024, NewsSpace.com
