Report Estimates 1 Billion People Worldwide Are Obese
2024-03-07
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1A new study estimates more than 1 billion people worldwide are currently living with obesity.
2People with obesity are considered medically overweight.
3The study, published in the medical publication The Lancet, said that one in eight people are obese.
4Researchers said around 43 percent of adults were overweight in 2022.
5Worldwide, obesity among adults has more than doubled since 1990, the study found.
6Among young people aged five to 19, the obesity rate increased by four times during the same period.
7"A staggering number of people are living with obesity," declared the lead writer of the study, Majid Ezzati.
8He is a professor at Imperial College London.
9Severe obesity is strongly linked to a long list of health problems and an early death.
10Researchers used data from more than 3,600 population studies involving 222 million people, The Lancet reported.
11The study "measured height and weight in representative samples of the general population," the researchers said.
12The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement that it shared data with other international researchers and helped to create the report.
13WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the study identifies the "importance of preventing and managing obesity from early life to adulthood."
14The WHO noted that at the World Health Assembly in 2022, member states agreed to an agency plan to fight obesity.
15So far, 31 governments "are now leading the way" to reduce obesity by carrying out goals of the plan.
16These include government measures to enact new rules on "harmful" marketing of unhealthy food and drinks to children.
17In addition, governments are aiming to improve school and nutrition policies.
18They are also seeking price reductions for healthy foods, to increase public awareness about healthy diets and exercise and to strengthen requirements for physical activity in schools.
19Imperial College's Ezzati said that obesity rates are not rising in many wealthier nations.
20But they are quickly increasing in other countries.
21He noted that some countries have many underweight people, meaning the nations are facing what he called a "double burden" of nutrition problems.
22Francesco Branca is head of nutrition at the WHO.
23He told reporters, "In the past, we have been thinking of obesity as a problem of the rich. Obesity is a problem of the world."
24The research represented the first major report on the issue since 2017, with more than 1,500 scientists taking part.
25That report estimated around 774 million people above the age of five were living with obesity.
26Branca and Ezzati suggested that powerful new obesity drugs - such as Ozempic and Wegovy - could be helpful tools in reducing obesity.
27But they noted that the cost and availability of the drugs might increase inequality.
28I'm Bryan Lynn.
1A new study estimates more than 1 billion people worldwide are currently living with obesity. People with obesity are considered medically overweight. 2The study, published in the medical publication The Lancet, said that one in eight people are obese. Researchers said around 43 percent of adults were overweight in 2022. 3Worldwide, obesity among adults has more than doubled since 1990, the study found. Among young people aged five to 19, the obesity rate increased by four times during the same period. 4"A staggering number of people are living with obesity," declared the lead writer of the study, Majid Ezzati. He is a professor at Imperial College London. 5Severe obesity is strongly linked to a long list of health problems and an early death. 6Researchers used data from more than 3,600 population studies involving 222 million people, The Lancet reported. The study "measured height and weight in representative samples of the general population," the researchers said. 7The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement that it shared data with other international researchers and helped to create the report. 8WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the study identifies the "importance of preventing and managing obesity from early life to adulthood." 9The WHO noted that at the World Health Assembly in 2022, member states agreed to an agency plan to fight obesity. So far, 31 governments "are now leading the way" to reduce obesity by carrying out goals of the plan. 10These include government measures to enact new rules on "harmful" marketing of unhealthy food and drinks to children. In addition, governments are aiming to improve school and nutrition policies. They are also seeking price reductions for healthy foods, to increase public awareness about healthy diets and exercise and to strengthen requirements for physical activity in schools. 11Imperial College's Ezzati said that obesity rates are not rising in many wealthier nations. But they are quickly increasing in other countries. He noted that some countries have many underweight people, meaning the nations are facing what he called a "double burden" of nutrition problems. 12Francesco Branca is head of nutrition at the WHO. He told reporters, "In the past, we have been thinking of obesity as a problem of the rich. Obesity is a problem of the world." 13The research represented the first major report on the issue since 2017, with more than 1,500 scientists taking part. That report estimated around 774 million people above the age of five were living with obesity. 14Branca and Ezzati suggested that powerful new obesity drugs - such as Ozempic and Wegovy - could be helpful tools in reducing obesity. But they noted that the cost and availability of the drugs might increase inequality. 15I'm Bryan Lynn. 16Reuters and the World Health Organization reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the reports for VOA Learning English. 17_____________________________________________ 18Words in This Story 19obesity - n. a medical problem of having too much body fat. It increases the risk of many other diseases and health problems 20staggering - adj. very shocking and surprising 21sample - n. a small amount of something that gives you information about the thing it was taken from 22manage - v. to deal with something successfully