The majority of adults and one third of children worldwide are predicted to be overweight or obese by 2050.
This is according to a new report published in the Lancet.
Between 1990 and 2021, the data shows that the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents doubled – and that of obesity alone tripled.
Currently, there are 2.11 billion adults aged 25 or above and 493 million children and young people aged five to 24 who are overweight or obese. In 1990, these figures were 731 million and 198 million respectively.
The previously set World Health Organization (WHO) 2025 obesity target – for there to be no increase between 2010 and 2025 – has already been missed by the majority of countries.
Immediate action needed
The researchers said: ‘Both overweight and obesity increased substantially in every world region between 1990 and 2021, suggesting that current approaches to curbing increases in overweight and obesity have failed a generation of children and adolescents.
‘Beyond 2021, overweight during childhood and adolescence is forecast to stabilise due to further increases in the population who have obesity. Increases in obesity are expected to continue for all populations in all world regions.
‘Because substantial change is forecasted to occur between 2022 and 2030, immediate actions are needed to address this public health crisis.’
The countries predicted to have the biggest populations of overweight or obese people in 2050 are China (627 million), India (450 million) and the USA (214 million).’
The researchers concluded: ‘Because the rise in obesity is forecasted to continue throughout the world, political commitment to transform the diets of all children and adolescents within sustainable global food systems is now urgent.’
You can read the full report here.
Restrictions on weight loss jabs
This comes as regulators will tighten eligibility criteria for weight loss jabs such as Wegovy and Ozempic to clamp down on inappropriate prescriptions.
Online pharmacies will no longer be able to dispense weight loss jabs based on online questionnaires and photos alone. In-person or video consultations will now be required to verify a patient’s body mass index (BMI). Additionally, they will need to submit information from their medical record or doctor.
The new guidance will also apply to other high-risk medications including antimicrobials, laxatives and opioids.
Duncan Rudkin, chief executive of the General Pharmaceutical Council, said: ‘The message of this updated guidance is clear. Online pharmacies should only supply a medicine if the prescriber has had an appropriate consultation with the person, and has made sure they have all the necessary information to check if that medicine is safe and suitable for them.’
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