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Lancet study shows obesity rates going up across world

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Lancet study shows obesity rates going up across world

  • A recent study published in The Lancet unveils concerning trends in obesity rates among children, adolescents, and adults worldwide.

Key Findings

  • The obesity rates among children and adolescents worldwide have increased fourfold since 1990.
  • Among adults, the obesity rates have more than doubled during the same period.
  • The total number of individuals affected by obesity globally has surpassed one billion.
  • 159 million children and adolescents and 879 million adults were obese in 2022.
  • The study identifies obesity as the most prevalent form of malnutrition in many countries, alongside a decline in underweight prevalence since 1990.

The Study

  • The study was conducted by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) in collaboration with the WHO.
  • Over 1,500 researchers in more than 190 countries analysed weight and height measurements of over 220 million people aged five years or older.
  • They reportedly looked at body mass index (BMI) to understand how obesity and underweight have changed worldwide from 1990 to 2022.

Indian Perspective

  • The researchers note the coexistence of both obesity and underweight in India, with increasing rates of abdominal and general obesity.
  • As per The Lancet paper, in India, the obesity rate increased from 0.1% in 1990 to 3.1% in 2022 for girls, and 0.1% to 3.9%, for boys.
  • In the prevalence of obesity category for girls and boys, India ranked 174th highest in the world in 2022.
  • Among adults in India, the obesity rate has surged, reaching 9.8% in women and 5.4% in men by 2022, marking a substantial rise compared to 1990.

Prelims Takeaway

  • World Health organisation (WHO)
  • Body Mass Index (BMI)

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