Sodiq Ojuroungbe Health experts have raised the alarm over the rising cases of childhood obesity, calling for immediate and comprehensive interventions to combat the growing public health crisis. The warnings come in the wake of recent data published by the World Health Organisation, which highlights a sharp increase in obesity rates among children globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. According to the WHO report, one in eight people in the world is living with obesity with about 2.
5 billion adults (18 years and older) being overweight. The global health body added that 890 million out of these overweight adults were living with obesity with 43 per cent of adults aged 18 years and above were overweight, while 16 per cent were living with obesity. The WHO data also revealed that 37 million children under the age of 5 were overweight in 2022, while over 390 million children and adolescents aged 5–19 years were overweight, including 160 million who were living with obesity.
Reacting, some health experts who spoke exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise warned of the severe long-term implications of this trend, which include heightened risks for chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and mental health issues. They noted that the factors contributing to this rise are multifaceted, including increased consumption of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, reduced physical activity, and socio-economic factors that limit access to healthier lifestyle choices..