Half of the world's population will be overweight! The new edition of the World Atlas of Obesity names ten countries

Expert interviewed: Yuan Zhenfang, chief physician of the Department of Endocrinology, Peking University First Hospital

Global Times health client reporter Niu Yulei

Recently, the World Obesity Federation released the latest edition of the "World Obesity Atlas" report, which is based on the incidence and growth of obesity from 1975 to 2016, comprehensively considers the changing factors in recent years, such as global climate change, infectious disease pandemics, etc., and estimates the development of obesity in countries and regions around the world from 2020 to 2035.

According to the report, the global obesity situation is not optimistic. It is estimated that by 2025, the number of obese people worldwide will reach 1.2 billion, accounting for 17% of the total population; The number of overweight people reached 3 billion, accounting for 42% of the total population. By 2035, the number of obese people will reach 1.9 billion, accounting for 24% of the total population; The number of overweight people will reach 4 billion, or 51% of the total population. At that time, there will be more people who are overweight on the planet than those who are not overweight. The report also notes that the economic impact of being overweight is expected to account for 2.9% of global GDP by 2035 (2.4% in 2020) and cost $4 trillion in economic losses. The report adopts the criteria for overweight and obesity with a body mass index greater than 25 kg/m2 and 30 kg/m².

The report also publishes data for more than 180 countries or regions around the world. According to the document, the "Global Times Health Client" reporter sorted out 10 countries or regions with higher and lower predicted obesity rates for adults (predicted obesity rates in 2035).

Among the 10 countries with high predicted obesity rates, Tonga and Kiribati have adult obesity rates of 67%, the highest in the world, meaning that one in every three people is fat; In addition, Samoa (66%), Bosilia (65%), Micronesia (64%), the United States (58%), Saudi Arabia (57%), Puerto Rico (57%), Jordan (56%), Turkey (55%) and other countries are among them, with adult obesity rates all predicted to exceed 55%.

Many of the 10 countries with low predicted obesity rates are Asian, with Vietnam (7%), Japan (8%) and Singapore (9%) all below 10%, the three countries with the lowest predicted obesity rates, including Bangladesh (11%), India (11%), South Korea (12%), Cambodia (12%), Ethiopia (12%), Nepal (12%), and Timor-Leste (12%).

According to the report, China's adult obesity rate is predicted to be 18%, which is a medium level, but the average annual growth rate of adults and children is relatively high, 5.4% and 6.6%, respectively. The impact on GNP (including but not limited to medical costs and productive effects and premature deaths due to overweight of the labour force) was also higher at 3.1 per cent. The report assesses that in the coming 2025, China will lose $458.913 billion economically due to overweight, accounting for 2.4% of the estimated GDP for that year, and in 2020, the loss will be about $283.3 billion.

The obesity rate in Asian countries and regions is almost all below 20%, which is at a medium or low level, which is completely different from the American and European countries that often exceed 40% or even 50%, which may be related to its judgment criteria. As we all know, the body mass index tangent line is different in different races, the same body mass index, the harm to different races is completely different, the report defines overweight and obesity as a body mass index greater than 25 kg / square meter, 30 kg / square meter The standard is obviously more suitable for Europeans and Americans, so we cannot breathe a sigh of relief because the mainland predicts that the obesity rate is not high.

Yuan Zhenfang, chief physician of the Department of Endocrinology of Peking University First Hospital, introduced: "Chinese people with a body mass index of more than 24 kg/square meter are overweight and need to be controlled; The body mass index of more than 28 kg/square meter is obesity and requires weight loss. ”

"Obesity will impose a heavy burden on people's health and socio-economic development." Yuan Zhenfang said. First, obesity is linked to more than 200 diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, musculoskeletal disease, multiple cancers, and depression. Secondly, obesity will also shorten life expectancy, OECD previous analysis that during 2020~2050, obesity and related diseases will reduce life expectancy in OECD, EU and G20 countries by about 3 years. Other studies have shown that for male young adults, severe obesity shortens life expectancy by an average of 20 years. Again, obese people need more health care services, surgeries, and medications. Previous studies have shown that obese people are more than twice as likely to be prescribed as normal people. Finally, obesity can also lead to a loss of productivity and human capital, for example, if the working-age workforce is overly obese, it is highly likely to cause disability and require early retirement.

Yuan Zhenfang called for measures to be taken jointly by many parties to control obesity. For example, at the national level, it is necessary to improve the legal and regulatory system for obesity prevention and control, restrict the production and sales of unhealthy foods, and curb the consumption of sweet drinks and ultra-processed foods. We can also vigorously build community parks, gymnasiums, bicycle lanes and other facilities to enhance the willingness to exercise.

From an individual perspective, there are two things that need to be done. On the one hand, individuals and families should actively master the knowledge of healthy diet, try to achieve a balanced diet, the intake of vegetables, meat, carbs should be reasonable, and eat less foods high in sugar, salt and fat. On the other hand, to stick to daily exercise, children and adolescents should engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week; Adults should do 150~300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, or at least 75~150 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise. ▲

Responsible editor: Luo Rong

Editor-in-chief: Li Di