By 2035, more than half of the world’s population will be overweight, and in many cases obese, unless immediate action is taken to address the situation, warns the World Obesity Federation.
We are talking about more than four billion people who will face problems caused by excess weight, with the biggest increase expected among children and teenagers, according to the organization’s report.
Countries in Africa and Asia with low-income populations will be particularly affected.
The main cause of the problem in these countries, according to experts, is the consumption of cheaper processed foods containing various additives.
For example, instead of meat, which is unaffordable for certain segments of the population, people eat sausages.
Other reasons for obesity in Asian and African countries may include a lack of food control institutions, weak marketing policies, insufficient public awareness of the causes and consequences of weight problems, and sedentary lifestyles.
Experts predict that the cost of preventing and treating obesity worldwide will exceed $4 trillion by 2035.
And obesity-related losses to the global economy could reach 3% of global GDP in 12 years.
The President of the World Federation Against Obesity, Professor Louise Bauer, is urging governments to act now to avoid future health care burdens and economic consequences.
The report pays special attention to the dynamics of obesity among children and adolescents.
It is expected that by 2035, the number of people with obesity in this segment will double compared to 2020.
According to Bauer, this can be avoided through government funding of various health, social and economic programs aimed at the younger generation.
The expert report, with detailed justifications for the research findings, will be presented at the UN next Monday.
The authors of the report emphasize that their work in no way implies that people suffering from obesity are to blame for their condition.
Obesity is a medical term that describes a significant excess of body mass index.