A recent publication by The Lancet Group reveals that more than one billion people out of the world’s population are now classified as obese, significantly posing a global health risk.
According to a study published on The Lancet’s official website on Sunday, there’s been an alarming rise in obesity, with adult rates doubling and childhood and adolescent rates (ages five to 19) quadrupling since 1990.
The World Health Organization (WHO) characterizes obesity as the accumulation of abnormal or excessive fat, impacting those who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) exceeding 25.
Interestingly, the report shows that obesity has surpassed underweight as a prevalent issue, even in low- and middle-income countries.
In 2019 alone, approximately five million deaths were reported to be the result of higher-than-ideal Body Mass Index (BMI) levels, pointing to the dire seriousness of the obesity issue worldwide.
Report’s Methodology and Findings
The study, undertaken by over 1,500 researchers from the Non-Communicable Diseases Risk Factor Collaboration in conjunction with the WHO, draws upon data from more than 220 million individuals from 190 countries, establishing it as one of the broadest assessments to date.
Recommendations:
- According to the report, in 2022, approximately 880 million adults and 159 million children were living with obesity, with overweight conditions affecting 43% of the adult population.
- Furthermore, the study’s recommendations highlight the critical need for early intervention, advocating for the adoption of healthy habits starting in infancy, and the strict regulation of marketing unhealthy foods and beverages, especially those aimed at children.
- Emphasis was also placed on the need for comprehensive policies on school nutrition and food, alongside measures to curb the presence of unhealthy, high-fat, sugary, and salty food options close to school premises.
WHO’s Reaction to the Study
Mrs Francesco Branca, Director of WHO’s Nutrition and Food Safety Department, said that the report served as a wake-up call, urging immediate action to stem the tide of rising obesity rates globally.
- He said that implementing policies that effectively tackle obesity requires overcoming significant hurdles, including ensuring that healthy diets are affordable and that environments promote physical activity.
- On his part, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General, highlighted the critical need for strategies that prevent and control obesity across an individual’s lifespan.
- Ghebreyesus urged collaboration across sectors and accountability from the private sector.
What you should know
Of late, stakeholders in the health sectors have called on the implementation a 20% tax on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) as a primary measure to curb the overconsumption of SSBs and the prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
- According to the Director of the Public Health Department at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Chukuma Anyaike, an estimated 38.6 million litres of soft drink are sold daily in Nigeria, making it the fourth highest soft drink consuming country in the world.
- He further noted that beverage companies market the drinks to entice consumers into believing they gain greater benefit through over consumption and noted that the country losses productivity to the prevalence of NCDs among youths and adults.
- The Diabetes Association of Nigeria also disclosed that a staggering 11.2 million Nigerians are currently grappling with diabetes, with 90% of them classified as type 2.
- Globally, 537 million people are recorded to be living with diabetes, a figure projected to surge to 737 million by 2040 if decisive actions are not taken.
