The World Obesity Federation recently released its Atlas 2023, which warned that 51% of the world's population — representing more than 4 billion people — will suffer from obesity in the next 12 years.

Professor Louise Baur, president of the World Obesity Federation, stated:

This year's Atlas is a clear warning that by failing to address obesity today, we risk serious repercussions in the future.

According to the report, obesity rates are increasing, especially rapidly among children and in lower-income countries. The organization described as a "clear warning" and prompted a call for action by policy makers to act immediately to prevent the situation from getting worse.

Key Atlas findings

Among the data found in the study, the World Obesity Federation highlighted:

• Childhood obesity could be more than double 2020 levels, reaching 208 million boys and 175 million girls by 2035
• The cost to society is considerable due to health problems related to being overweight: More than $4 trillion per year by 2035, which is equivalent to 3% of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• By 2035, the economic impact of overweight and obesity is estimated at more than $370 billion a year in low-income and lower-middle-income countries alone
• Low-and middle-income countries in Asia and Africa are expected to experience the largest increases in obesity in the coming years

“It is particularly worrying to see obesity rates rising fastest among children and adolescents. Governments and policymakers around the world need to do all they can to avoid passing health, social, and economic costs on to the younger generation. That means looking urgently at the systems and root factors that contribute to obesity, and actively involving young people in the solutions. If we act together now, we have the opportunity to help billions of people in the future,” added Baur.

Call to action

The federation, which does not blame individuals, calls for greater attention to the social, environmental, and biological factors involved in these conditions.

To make its calculations, the report uses the body mass index (BMI), a number calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by their height in meters. According to the World Health Organization guidelines, a BMI greater than 25 is equivalent to being overweight, and a BMI greater than 30 is considered obesity.

More than half the global population will be living with overweight and obesity within 12 years if prevention, treatment and support do not improve.

Read the latest findings in our #WorldObesityAtlas2023, released for #WorldObesityDay.

https://t.co/6FfYiCmSPO pic.twitter.com/nrIol1z0Xr

— World Obesity (@WorldObesity) March 2, 2023

According to the data, it is estimated that in 2020, 2.6 billion people fell into these categories, which represents approximately 38% of the world population.

“Let's be clear: the economic impact of obesity is not the fault of individuals living with the disease. It is a result of high-level failures to provide the environmental, healthcare, food, and support systems that we all need to live happy, healthy lives. Addressing these issues will be valuable in so many ways, to billions of people. We simply cannot afford to ignore the rising rates of obesity any longer. We hope that the findings of this latest Atlas will convince policymakers and civil society to take action and make tangible commitments to change in their regions,” said Johanna Ralston, CEO of the World Obesity Federation.

The data will be presented to United Nations policymakers and member states next week.

The launch of the Atlas report, where the World Obesity Federation and its partners will lead calls for a strong international response, is being billed as a high-level political event: "Changing Perspectives and Advancing National Action.” It will take place on Monday March 6, 2023 at 13:00 CET (7:00 a.m. ET).