(Newswire.net — June 27, 2017) — The study, compiled by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), based at the University of Washington in Seattle, reveals that some 604 million adults and nearly 108 million children in the world are obese.
The findings, published in the online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, were released at an annual food forum In Stockholm, which aims to create a healthier, more sustainable food system.
Researchers surveyed 195 countries to collect disturbing figures showing that one third of the world’s population is overweight or obese.
The study defined ‘obesity’ as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher based on one’s height and weight. Overweight was between 25 and 30.
Obesity has trebled among children and young people in countries such as China, Brazil and Indonesia.
This indicates a growing number of young people who are on the way to become obese one day and develop the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and other life-threatening conditions, some experts say.
The report also notes that obesity rates in 73 countries doubled in the period from 1980 to 2015.
Among the countries reporting significant increase in obese people are Afghanistan, Bulgaria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In the US, about 17 percent of children and 38 percent of adults are obese. Also, among the 20 largest countries, the US has the highest rate of obesity among children and young people, while Bangladesh has the lowest.
Egypt has the highest obesity rate among adults and Vietnam the lowest.
”Over the next 10 years, we will, closely with the FAO , be monitoring and evaluating the progress of countries in controlling overweight and obesity. Moreover, we will share data and findings with scientists, policymakers and other stakeholders seeking evidence-based strategies to address this problem,” said Dr. Ashkan Afshin, the paper’s lead author and an assistant professor of global health at IHME.