By 2035, the escalating global obesity crisis may see over half the world's population being categorised as obese or overweight, according to alarming forecasts from the World Obesity Federation.

The extensive report has revealed that over four billion people worldwide will face obesity, with children recording the swiftest rise in these figures. Most notably, the largest upticks are foreseen in Africa and Asia's low to middle-income countries.

Monetary implications of this obesity epidemic are staggering, with the report estimating costs surging beyond US$4 trillion (NZ$6.5 trillion) on an annual basis by 2035. This is equivalent to a colossal 3 percent of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Federation president, Prof Louise Baur, underscores these findings as a clarion call for immediate global intervention. "This isn’t merely a health issue but an impending socio-economic crisis," she emphasized. The report indicates a distressing trajectory where rates of childhood and teenage obesity are set to double from figures seen in 2020.

Such a trend is "deeply troubling", Prof Baur remarks, emphasizing that "it is imperative that global leadership recognizes the systems and foundational causes of obesity and work diligently to protect future generations from the looming health, social, and economic costs."

Adding another layer to the concerns, the report delves into the disproportionate impact on lower-income nations. An alarming nine out of the top 10 nations predicted to witness the sharpest rise in obesity are low or lower-middle-income countries located in Africa and Asia.

These nations are grappling with the complexity of mounting obesity rates due to a cocktail of reasons. Key culprits include the shift towards highly processed food diets, burgeoning sedentary lifestyles, and lackluster regulations governing food supply and advertising. Furthermore, these countries often have underfunded health services which hinder weight management and health education efforts.

The report sheds light on an unsettling truth: while these countries are the hardest hit, they are also "most ill-equipped to manage and mitigate the multifaceted repercussions of obesity."

However, it's essential to underscore that while the report paints a dire picture of the economic ramifications of global obesity, it explicitly states that this should not translate into assigning blame on individuals with obesity.

The term 'obese' in the medical lexicon pertains to individuals possessing excessive body fat. To determine obesity, the report leverages the Body Mass Index (BMI), a widely-used tool that gauges obesity by dividing an adult's weight by the square of their height.

In an urgent plea for global attention, the compiled data from this groundbreaking report will be presented to the UN on the upcoming Monday.

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