Health · Healthcare & Policy · 12 hrs ago
Obesity projected to cause the greatest avoidable health burden worldwide
A Lancet Commission estimates that obesity could cause 23.1 billion years of healthy life lost to avoidable disability between 2025 and 2100.
The estimate is the highest among 17 threats to human health and survival assessed by the commission, using risk analysis covering 204 countries and territories.
The commission says obesity’s burden is expected to grow over time.
Its estimate is higher than those for climate change, pandemics and antimicrobial resistance.
A Mumbai-based diabetologist said obesity can carry particular risks in India, where some people may have metabolic health problems even at lower body mass index levels.
The commission recommends that governments invest in long-term approaches, including public-private partnerships to develop oral obesity medicines.
The doctor said medicines should be paired with adequate protein, resistance exercise and policies to prevent obesity.
The Lancet Commission says obesity is projected to cause the greatest avoidable health burden among 17 threats to human health and survival.
It estimates obesity could account for 23.1 billion cumulative amenable disability-adjusted life years between 2025 and 2100.
The study draws on risk analysis from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation covering 204 countries and territories.
The projected obesity burden is several times higher than that of climate change, pandemics and antimicrobial resistance.
The Commission recommends governments invest in long-term innovations, including oral obesity medicines, through public-private partnerships.
- Who
- The Lancet Commission on 21st Century Global Threats to Health assessed the risks. The analysis drew on work from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
- What
- Obesity was identified as the leading threat by projected avoidable years of healthy life lost.
- When
- The projection covers 2025 to 2100.
- Where
- The analysis covers 204 countries and territories worldwide.
- Why
- The Commission describes the obesity burden as growing and forecast to compound over time.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Projected obesity burden
- 23.1 billion cumulative amenable DALYs, 2025–2100
- Threats assessed
- 17
- Countries and territories covered
- 204
- Climate change comparison
- 1.89 billion DALYs
- Pandemics comparison
- 2.39 billion DALYs
- Antimicrobial resistance comparison
- 3.44 billion DALYs
What people are saying
India faces a particularly dangerous form of obesity: more visceral fat, less muscle and metabolic disease at lower BMIs.
BMI alone cannot capture this risk.
Medicines can treat the biology of obesity, but intelligent policies must prevent it.
Sources
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