Being overweight and obese are two distinct health aspects, but the majority of people across the world know that both are similar things. Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal fat deposition that presents a health risk.

A body mass index over 25 is called overweight and over 30 is obese. BMI is a metric for measuring obesity and weight gain and defined as weight in kilograms divided by the square of their height in meters. However, both are serious health risks and can even lead to an untimely death if not treated on time.

Considering the issue of being overweight, it is expected that over half of the World population will go overweight or get obese by 2035 if current trends continue. According to the new report of the World Obesity Federation, obesity is rising at alarming rates, especially among adolescents and children. The most overweight countries in the world are Nauru, Palau, Cook Islands, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, Niue, and more.

There would be a sharp steer from 2020 when 2.6 billion people or 38% of the world’s population were classified obese or overweight. 

Obesity rates among adolescents and children could go 2X in the next 12 years. The percentage of young males having obesity could rise from 10% in 2020 to 20% in 2035 and it would rise from 8% to 18% in young obese females.

The global economic impact caused by being overweight or obese could reach $4.32 trillion annually by 2035 if preventive measures are not taken. As said if preventive steps are not taken the rate of obesity or overweight will increase across the globe and this could turn out to be a major health risk when such things can be controlled.

Here are some examples:

Obesity in Lower-income Areas

Obesity and overweight are likely to be high in low and lower-middle-income countries, whose healthcare infrastructure is not good enough to accommodate additional prevention and treatment efforts. 

Dr. Wajahat Mehal, Director of the Yale Metabolic Health and Weight Loss Program at Yale Medicine in Connecticut said, “This is not a new trend, but to see that it is continuing and affecting children is very concerning,”.

The root prevention of obesity or being overweight is getting quality nutritious foods, Mehal said, but buying these fruits often is expensive or difficult to obtain.

Mehal explained, “The main issue with nutrition is the ease of availability of calorie-dense processed foods, which are designed to give a quick reward without much ability to make us feel full and satisfied. The food environment is very unhealthy. Countries that have been successful in maintaining their traditional diets, such as Japan and Vietnam, have had a slower increase in obesity rates.”

What Prompts Obesity to Impact Your Health?

The factors that cause an increase in rates of obesity and overweight are complex, and their solutions have even more compositeness.

Health experts that also include report authors suggest that telling people to eat healthier foods or fruits and get more exercise is nearly impossible.

Johanna Ralston, Chief Executive Officer of the World Obesity Federation put her views on this, “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.”

Obesity and other related health disorders are not just because of the lack of healthy foods available to eat, it also includes the increase of “obesogenic pollutants” in our environment and genetic predisposition as the driving factors.

Moreover, chemical pollutants have been seen with endocrine-affecting properties which also cause obesity and excessive weight gain. These chemical pollutants collectively called endocrine disruptors have been seen in cosmetics, food packaging, household furnishings, and roadside dust.

Climate Change Also Causes Obesity

With climate change, it is said that global warming contributes to obesity. Environmental researchers have found that there is a clear and complex relaxation between global warming and getting obese. Global warming causes increased temperatures and this results in making people less physically active and also find difficulties in burning their body fat, all the while producing a higher carbon footprint. 

Apart from global warming, home appliances like microwaves also contribute to a small increase in BMI (Body Mass Index) and obesity. A study published in The British Journal of Nutrition in 2015 concluded that prepared meals, including “heat-and-eat” meals, were linked with not only worse overall dietary quality, comprising a low quantity of fibers in food and increased consumption of fats, but a broad range of surprising health effects.

What can be done to Curb Obesity?

Whether it's obesity in children or adults, there is always a health risk, and the treatment of overweight or obesity should either be controlled or treated.

Here are some measures to take-

Obesity Prevention for Kids

Obesity has no relation to age and it can happen to anyone. Prevention of obesity in kids starts at an early age-

Breastfeed Infants, Most of the Time if Possible

It has been found that breastfeeding helps in lowering the risk of obesity in infants. 

Start giving healthy foods at a young age

Encourage your child to taste a variety of fruits at an early age. Not just fruits, but even vegetables and proteins would help get them the required amount of fiber and keep their digestive system healthy. 

Obesity Prevention for Adults

Adults are at more risk than children as they cannot be controlled like kids. Since their food habits vary, they more often grab “bad food” than “good food”. Eating healthy dietary fats can help adults keep their digestion strong. 

Adults should avoid sugary foods and processed foods as these foods are high in sugar, and fat that prompt overeating.

Conclusion

Will half of the world be overweight is a vital question and should be a priority. There are multiple factors which have been mentioned here cause obesity and overweight to be riskier than ever. Some preventions have also been given which would help people avoid the risk of being overweight and obese.

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