The world is silently crossing a staggering threshold where, in 2022, one in every eight people on the planet was living with obesity, a number that has shockingly tripled since 1975 and now represents over a billion lives affected.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, 1 in 8 people worldwide (approximately 1 billion individuals) were living with obesity, including 890 million adults and 159 million children and adolescents.
- Globally, 37% of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight in 2022, with 16% classified as obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m²).
- In 2022, over 1 billion adults and children were obese, marking a tripling of obesity rates since 1975.
- In Europe, obesity prevalence is 23% among adults, highest in WHO regions.
- In the Americas, 67% of adults were overweight in 2016, with 28% obese.
- Africa saw obesity rates rise from 3.7% in women in 1990 to 10.6% in 2016.
- In women aged 18-25, obesity prevalence is 13% globally in 2022.
- Men over 60 years have 15% obesity rate worldwide in 2020.
- Globally, women are 1.6 times more likely to be obese than men in 2022.
- Global obesity tripled since 1975 across all demographics.
- From 1975-2016, child/adolescent obesity rose from 4% to 18% globally.
- Obesity rates increased 27.5% in adults from 2010-2016 worldwide.
- Global obesity epidemic cost $2 trillion annually by 2020.
- Overweight/obesity causes 4 million deaths yearly worldwide.
- Obesity linked to 64% of type 2 diabetes cases globally.
Obesity rates have tripled globally since 1975, affecting over a billion people.
Demographic Breakdowns
- In women aged 18-25, obesity prevalence is 13% globally in 2022.
- Men over 60 years have 15% obesity rate worldwide in 2020.
- Globally, women are 1.6 times more likely to be obese than men in 2022.
- Childhood obesity in boys aged 5-9 is 7.5% globally in 2022.
- Adolescent girls (10-19) obesity at 8.4% worldwide in 2016.
- In low-income groups, obesity prevalence is 15% higher in urban vs rural women.
- Global obesity in pregnant women affects 10-20% depending on region in 2020.
- Elderly (65+) obesity rates 20% globally in high-income countries 2022.
- Among indigenous populations, obesity is 25% higher than national averages.
- Low socioeconomic status correlates with 1.5x obesity risk in adults globally.
- Hispanic adults in US have 45% obesity rate vs 40% non-Hispanic white in 2020.
- Black women obesity 57% in US 2017-2018.
- Globally, obesity in children under 5 is equal in boys and girls at 6% in 2022.
- Urban adults 1.3 times more obese than rural globally in 2016.
- Education level inversely related: highest educated 10% less obese worldwide.
- In 2022, obesity among 30-39 year olds 18% globally.
- Women with 3+ children 20% more likely obese per WHO data.
- Male adolescents obesity 7.2% vs 6.8% girls in 2022 globally.
- Obesity in 40-59 age group peaks at 22% worldwide 2020.
- Among smokers, obesity 12% lower than non-smokers globally.
- Diabetes patients have 80% obesity comorbidity rate worldwide.
- In shift workers, obesity risk 25% higher globally.
- Single-parent households children 15% more obese in studies.
- Global obesity in 18-29 year olds 10% in 2022.
- Farmers/rural workers 8% obesity vs 20% office workers.
- Obesity in LGBTQ+ adults 20% higher in some global surveys.
- Post-menopausal women obesity 30% globally in 2020.
- Children of obese mothers 2x risk, fathers 1.5x globally.
- Obesity prevalence 25% in 50-64 age group worldwide 2022.
- In 2022, low education women obesity 25% vs 12% high education.
Demographic Breakdowns Interpretation
The global obesity crisis reveals a starkly uneven landscape, where one's risk is profoundly shaped by age, gender, wealth, and zip code, painting a picture not of individual failing but of systemic inequity served on a platter.
Global Prevalence
- In 2022, 1 in 8 people worldwide (approximately 1 billion individuals) were living with obesity, including 890 million adults and 159 million children and adolescents.
- Globally, 37% of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight in 2022, with 16% classified as obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m²).
- In 2022, over 1 billion adults and children were obese, marking a tripling of obesity rates since 1975.
- Worldwide, adult obesity has more than doubled since 1990, reaching 650 million obese adults by 2016.
- In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults (39%) were overweight, of which over 650 million were obese globally.
- Global obesity prevalence among adults increased from 5.2% in 1975 to 13.1% in 2016 for women and from 3.0% to 10.8% for men.
- By 2025, it is estimated that 2.7 billion adults worldwide will be overweight, including 1.2 billion with obesity.
- In 2020, 39% of adults globally (28% women and 31% men) had a BMI of 25 kg/m² or higher.
- Childhood obesity globally affected 39 million children under 5 years in 2020.
- Overweight and obesity combined affected 50 million children under 5 years worldwide in 2020.
- Globally, 5.6% of adults were underweight in 2016, contrasting with 39% overweight.
- Obesity rates among adults reached 13% globally in 2016, up from 4% in 1975.
- In 2022, 16% of the world's adult population (over 18 years) was obese.
- Global adult obesity prevalence was 12.5% in 2016 according to NCD Risk Factor Collaboration data.
- By 2030, over 1 in 5 women and 1 in 8 men worldwide are projected to be obese.
- In 2022, obesity prevalence among children aged 5-19 years was nearly 9% globally.
- Worldwide, 2.5 billion adults were overweight in 2022, comprising 43% of the adult population.
- Global obesity tripled among men from 3% in 1975 to 10.8% in 2016.
- Among women, global obesity rose from 6.4% in 1975 to 14.9% in 2016.
- In 2019, 38.2 million children under 5 were overweight or obese globally.
- Adult obesity prevalence globally stood at 15.4% in 2020 per IHME estimates.
- Over 4 million deaths annually are attributable to overweight and obesity worldwide.
- In 2022, 1.16 billion people (16% of global population) had obesity.
- Global mean BMI increased from 21.7 kg/m² in 1975 to 24.9 kg/m² in 2016 for adults.
- Obesity affected 18.5% of women and 14.6% of men globally in 2020.
- In 2016, 340 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 were overweight, including 158 million obese.
- Global prevalence of obesity in adolescents (aged 12-19) reached 6% in 2016.
- By 2022, obesity rates in children under 5 tripled since 1975 to 6% globally.
- Worldwide, 13% of the population was obese in 2022 per World Obesity Federation.
- In 2020, 727 million adults were obese globally according to GBD study.
- Obesity prevalence among adults globally was 14% in 2019 per FAO data.
Global Prevalence Interpretation
We are now a planet where the buffet of modern life has left one in eight of us officially overfull, a billion-person testament to a global diet gone awry.
Health and Economic Consequences
- Global obesity epidemic cost $2 trillion annually by 2020.
- Overweight/obesity causes 4 million deaths yearly worldwide.
- Obesity linked to 64% of type 2 diabetes cases globally.
- 44% of diabetes burden attributable to BMI>25 kg/m² worldwide.
- Obesity increases cardiovascular disease risk by 2-3 times globally.
- 23% of all ischemic heart disease deaths due to obesity worldwide.
- Cancer risk 1.5x higher in obese individuals, 4-8% cancers attributable.
- Osteoarthritis 30% more prevalent in obese adults globally.
- Obesity shortens life expectancy by 5-10 years worldwide.
- Severe obesity (BMI≥40) halves life expectancy by 14 years.
- $2 trillion economic impact of obesity in 2014, 2.8% global GDP.
- Obesity healthcare costs 21% of total in US, similar trends globally.
- Lost productivity from obesity $500B annually worldwide.
- 7.1% of all deaths in 2017 due to high BMI globally.
- Sleep apnea 50-70% comorbid with obesity worldwide.
- Fatty liver disease in 25% obese adults globally.
- Obesity triples infertility risk in women worldwide.
- Mental health: 55% higher depression risk in obese individuals.
- 13 cancers linked to obesity, e.g., breast 12% attributable.
- COVID-19 mortality 113% higher in obese patients globally.
- Musculoskeletal disorders 4x more common in obese.
- Gallbladder diseases 20-30% higher in obese worldwide.
- Global DALYs from obesity 160 million in 2019.
- Obesity workplace absenteeism 37% higher globally.
- 50% of obese children become obese adults worldwide.
- Stroke risk doubles with BMI>30 kg/m² globally.
- PCOS prevalence 70-80% in obese women worldwide.
- Economic burden projected $4T by 2035, 3.3% GDP.
- Hypertension 2x risk, 50% cases obesity-related globally.
Health and Economic Consequences Interpretation
The world is paying a fortune in both lives and dollars to dine itself into an early grave, one oversized portion at a time.
Regional Variations
- In Europe, obesity prevalence is 23% among adults, highest in WHO regions.
- In the Americas, 67% of adults were overweight in 2016, with 28% obese.
- Africa saw obesity rates rise from 3.7% in women in 1990 to 10.6% in 2016.
- In South-East Asia, adult obesity was lowest at 4% in 2022.
- Eastern Mediterranean region had 27% adult overweight prevalence in 2016.
- Western Pacific region obesity rate among adults was 9% in 2022.
- In 2022, Nauru had the highest obesity rate at 61% among adults.
- Pacific Islands average adult obesity exceeds 50%, e.g., Tonga at 48% in 2022.
- Middle East and North Africa obesity in women averaged 25% in 2016.
- In the United States, 42.4% of adults were obese in 2017-2018.
- Mexico had 33.3% adult obesity prevalence in 2020.
- In China, obesity rose to 16.4% in adults by 2020.
- India’s urban obesity rate reached 20% among women in 2021.
- UK adult obesity prevalence was 28% in 2022.
- Australia reported 31.6% adult obesity in 2022.
- Brazil’s obesity rate among adults was 22.1% in 2019.
- Egypt had 35% adult obesity in 2020, highest in Africa.
- Japan’s obesity rate remains low at 4.5% in 2022.
- Saudi Arabia obesity prevalence was 35.4% among adults in 2016.
- South Africa women obesity at 39.5% in 2022.
- Russia adult obesity rate 23.1% in 2020.
- Indonesia obesity increased to 21.8% in adults by 2018.
- Turkey’s obesity prevalence 31.4% in 2022.
- Chile adults 34.4% obese in 2022.
- Qatar obesity rate 35.1% among adults in 2016.
- New Zealand 34.1% adult obesity in 2020-2021.
- Kuwait 37.9% adult obesity in 2022.
- United Arab Emirates 31.7% obesity prevalence in adults 2020.
- Canada 29.4% adults obese in 2018.
- Germany 23.6% adult obesity in 2021.
- In high-income countries, 25% of adults were obese in 2016.
- Low-income countries saw obesity rise from 5% to 11% in women 1990-2016.
- Women in Polynesia and Micronesia had obesity rates over 50% in 2016.
- Men in the Caribbean averaged 25% obesity prevalence in 2022.
- Asia lowest regional obesity at 9% for adults in 2022.
Regional Variations Interpretation
It appears the global waistline is expanding faster than our collective efforts to curb it, with some regions like the Pacific Islands tipping the scales past 50%, while Europe leads the developed world at 23%, proving that no corner of the planet is immune to this heavy crisis.
Trends and Projections
- Global obesity tripled since 1975 across all demographics.
- From 1975-2016, child/adolescent obesity rose from 4% to 18% globally.
- Obesity rates increased 27.5% in adults from 2010-2016 worldwide.
- By 2030, 1 in 5 adults globally projected to be obese.
- Global obesity expected to reach 20% by 2030 per IHME.
- From 1990-2022, obesity in low/middle-income countries quadrupled.
- Childhood obesity projected to affect 254 million children by 2030.
- BMI trends show 0.4 kg/m²/decade increase globally since 1985.
- Obesity in women increased 0.5% annually from 1985-2016.
- Pandemic accelerated obesity rise by 2% globally 2020-2022.
- By 2050, 60% of world population projected overweight/obese.
- High-income countries obesity plateaued at 25% since 2010.
- Asia obesity doubled every decade since 1990.
- Global underweight declined 25% while obesity rose 50% 1990-2020.
- Projections show 4 billion overweight by 2050 worldwide.
- Obesity-attributable deaths doubled from 2.5M to 5M 1990-2021.
- Child obesity under 5 rose from 32M in 2000 to 39M in 2020.
- Adult obesity growth slowed to 0.2% annually post-2016.
- In Africa, obesity increased 5-fold in women since 1990.
- Global DALYs from obesity up 150% from 1990-2019.
- By 2025, 1.2 billion obese adults forecasted by WHO.
- Obesity in Pacific Islands rose from 40% to 60% 1990-2020.
- Global sugar intake up 20% correlating with obesity rise.
- Sedentary behavior increased 15% globally 2000-2020.
- Projections: 1 in 4 children obese by 2030 in urban areas.
- Obesity costs projected to 4.32% of GDP by 2035 globally.
- From 2016-2022, obesity in adolescents up 10% worldwide.
- Global fast food consumption tripled since 1990, obesity link.
- By 2035, half of adults in UK/US obese projected.
- Obesity prevalence up 30% in China 2000-2020.
Trends and Projections Interpretation
In a staggering feat of global unity we’ve meticulously engineered an environment where the scale tips toward catastrophe, proving that while solving hunger is possible, crafting a world that nourishes without harming is a puzzle we’ve yet to piece together.
Sources & References
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