Although obesity is a pretty well known term, the condition itself is often times misunderstood. Unlike what a lot of people seem to think, not every fat person is obese. Obesity is a disease involving an excessive amount of body fat. It is a condition that increases the risk of other health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes etc.
Unfortunately, there are not a lot of ways to exactly determine whether a person is obese or not. One method is BMI (Body Mass Index), which can be calculated on an individual level. But the BMI scale doesn’t give very accurate results since it doesn’t account for muscle mass. Alternately, you could always go to a doctor and talk about weight management with them.
By 2035, childhood obesity is predicted to rise steeply
Obesity in boys and girls is likely to see an increase of 9.1% annually by 2035, if the current trends persist and proper prevention, treatment and support are not given. This was published in a global report released ahead of world obesity day.
According to the report (World Obesity Atlas 2023) published by the World Obesity Federation, in 2020 boys had a 3% risk but by 2035, they may have a 12% risk. In girls, the rate is predicted to go from 2% to 7% by 2035.
What could be the reason for this increased risk?
Ironically the reason behind the increasing prevalence of this complex issue is simple. The change in dietary preferences of children towards processed food, sedentary behavior and less well-resourced healthcare services are all responsible for this increased risk.
The report also showed that lower income countries are becoming increasingly prone to obesity. Among the ten countries that are expected to have the greatest increase annually, nine are from Asia and Africa.
Failing to address this issue will have serious repercussions for the entire world in the future. We have to start taking precautions and giving the right treatment to obese people.
