A third of children and nearly 60% of adults worldwide are expected to be overweight or obese by 2050, a new study warns. The research published in the Lancet medical journal used data from 204 countries to paint a grim picture of what it describes as one of the great health challenges of the century.
According to the study, the number of overweight or obese people worldwide has risen from 929 million in 1990 to 2.6 billion in 2021. Without a serious change, researchers estimate that 3.8 billion adults will be overweight or obese in just 15 years, equivalent to nearly 60% of the global adult population.
The world’s health systems are expected to come under pressure, with about a quarter of the world’s obese expected to be over 65 by 2050. Children and adolescents worldwide can expect a 121% increase in obesity rates.
The study predicts that a third of all obese young people will live in two regions – the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and Latin America and the Caribbean, by 2050. However, experts say it’s not too late to act. “Much stronger political commitment is needed to transform diets within sustainable global food systems,” said study co-author Jessica Kerr.
The research highlights that poor diet and sedentary lifestyles are major drivers of the obesity epidemic, but underlying causes remain unclear. Socially deprived groups have a consistent tendency towards obesity, researchers say. The World Obesity Federation’s recent report, the World Obesity Atlas, also notes that developing countries are disproportionately affected by obesity, with 79% of adults and 88% of children expected to be obese by 2035.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/4/most-adults-a-third-of-children-will-be-overweight-or-obese-by-2050-study