A new study published in The Lancet reveals four out of five men and women in the United States will be overweight or obese by 2050 if current trends persist. The research estimates that by then, around 213 million adults aged 25 and older, along with over 45 million children and young adults aged 5 to 24, will struggle with excess weight. What’s more concerning is that the rate of obesity, as opposed to being merely overweight, is expected to climb more rapidly.
By mid-century, two-thirds of adults, one-third of teenagers, and one-fifth of children in the United States are anticipated to be obese. These statistics point to a crisis of chronic illnesses across the nation. According to lead author Emmanuela Gakidou, a professor at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, obesity is linked to a range of severe health conditions.
“Overweight and obesity can trigger serious health conditions, including diabetes, heart attacks, stroke, cancer, mental health disorders, and even premature death,” Gakidou explained in a journal release. “The soaring health system and economic costs will be equally pervasive, with over 260 million Americans, including more than half of all children and adolescents, living with overweight or obesity by 2050.” Researchers used 134 data sources, including national surveillance surveys, to predict future obesity trends.
In 2021, nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults were overweight or obese.
Obesity .
