The obese population has doubled in 73 countries around the world, according to results of a study published in the medical journal New England Journal of Medicine. This chronic disease is responsible for a real increase in cardiovascular illnesses, from diabetes and some cancer causing an increase in mortality. Of the 4 million deaths attributed to excess body weight in 2015, nearly 40% occurred in people with a body mass index (BMI) fell below the threshold considered “obese”.
Researchers at the University of Washington in the United States carried out a meta-analysis with data from the study (Global Burden of Disease study or GBD), which quantifies the role on health of more than 300 pathologies and types injuries in 133 countries. It spans 195 countries and territories from 1980 to 2015 and was released today at the annual Stockholm Food Forum, which aims to create a healthier and more sustainable food system.
Alarming figures
In 2015, theexcess weight has affected 2.2 billion children and adults worldwide, or 30% of all people. The prevalence of obesity has doubled since 1980 in more than 70 countries and has increased steadily in most other countries. Although the prevalence of obesity in children was lower than in adults, the rate of increase in childhood obesity in many countries was higher than that of adults.
Egypt is at the top of the list, with a rate ofobesity in adults 35%. The lowest rates were noted in Bangladesh and Vietnam, respectively, at 1%. China with 15.3 million obese and India with 14.4 million have the highest number of obese children. The United States at 79.4 million and China at 57.3 million had the highest numbers of obese adults in 2015.
“People who ignore excessive weight gain do so at their peril. They are at risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and other life-threatening conditions,” Dr Christopher warned. Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, one of the study’s co-authors.
“Excess body weight is one of the most challenging public health issues of our time, affecting nearly one in three people,” said Dr. Ashkan Afshin, the paper’s lead author and assistant professor of global health at IHME. “Over the past decade, many interventions have been evaluated, but there is very little evidence for their long-term effectiveness. We will share the data and findings with scientists, policy makers and other stakeholders seeking evidence-based strategies to address this problem.”
Read also:
Obesity affects heart health in adolescence
Obesity, the main risk factor for mortality
15% of obese adults in France