I was surprised to read several headlines about obesity today – all revolving around the global obesity situation we are facing. It’s then that I discovered that March 4th is World Obesity Day. Each year, there is a different theme that the World Obesity Federation (WOF) organization hopes will make a difference in addressing the growth of obesity. For 2023, the focus is on communicating so that we can better understand each other and work together towards improved health outcomes for all of us. This theme is called “Changing Perspectives: Let’s Talk About Obesity” (1).
**Half of world will be obese by 2035, health org predicts**
That’s the headline that caught my eye, and it happens to be incorrect (2). The first line of the story gets closer, “Half the world will be overweight by 2035, a health group warns” (2), but that’s not quite as sensational. As usual, we have to look carefully at our sources! (“Global study predicts that more than half the global population will be living with overweight and obesity within 12 years if prevention, treatment and support do not improve” (3) is the accurate information.) The list below summarizes the information found in The World Obesity Atlas press release published by the WOF.
- The world economic impact of overweight and obesity will reach $4.32 trillion annually if not addressed. This is nearly 3% of global GDP.
- Nearly 2 billion people will have obesity, about 1 in 4 worldwide.
- Childhood obesity could more than double for the period of 2020 to 2035.
- 9 of the 10 countries with the highest rate of obesity increase are lower income countries.
- The report will be presented at the United Nations (UN) on March 6 which we hope will result in effective policy change action by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The World Obesity Federation has many resources available for you! Visit https://www.worldobesityday.org/ to learn more.
Here are some things to keep in mind when discussing obesity and overweight (4):
- Obesity is a disease with many contributing causes, including biological, genetic, environmental, and economic factors.
- Obesity is a risk factor for many other diseases as well.
- Telling others, “Eat less and move more” is not particularly helpful as the problem is much more complex.
- Blaming or stigmatizing can reinforce incorrect assumptions about obesity.
- Treatment for overall health is a goal that encompasses much more than just weight.
- Obesity is a global problem – it is not limited to higher income nations, and it is growing fastest in middle and lower income nations.
- Childhood obesity has been doubling every 10 years and we must work on prevention as it often leads to adult obesity.
As with many obstacles, if we can identify the problems, formulate options, and discuss solutions with care and creativity, we are more likely to find the answers we need. Let’s take some time today to recognize the challenges of obesity in our own lives, and in our worldwide community. Let’s work together to achieve a healthy weight!
(1). https://www.worldobesityday.org/about-wod
(3). https://www.worldobesityday.org/assets/downloads/World_Obesity_Atlas_2023_Press_Release.pdf
(4). https://www.worldobesityday.org/assets/downloads/Factsheet_-_English_1.pdf
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