Urgent action needed: obesity crisis predicted to impact 260 million by 2050

A new study in The Lancet reveals a worsening obesity epidemic in the USA, with devastating health, social, and economic consequences predicted. By 2050, over 260 million Americans—213 million adults and 43 million children and adolescents—are expected to live with overweight or obesity.

Obesity rates have doubled since 1990, and southern states like Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama currently face the highest levels. Among older adolescents (aged 15-24 years), over 50% of males in Texas and nearly 63% of females in Mississippi were affected in 2021. These trends are projected to worsen, with one in five children and two-thirds of adults living with obesity by 2050.

Experts warn of a rising burden of related conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and mental health issues, as well as soaring healthcare costs. They call for urgent nationwide action, emphasising prevention over treatment. Proposed strategies include ensuring access to healthy foods, regulating junk food marketing, and promoting physical activity through safer neighborhoods and better school meal programs.

While medications like GLP-1 receptor agonists can help, they alone cannot solve this crisis. The study highlights the need for comprehensive policies addressing underlying issues like food deserts and social inequalities.

Lead author Professor Emmanuela Gakidou stresses, "Reversing this epidemic requires strong federal commitment and a whole-system approach to disrupt the structural drivers of obesity and ensure a healthier future for all Americans." 

This study underscores the urgent need for coordinated efforts to curb the obesity crisis and safeguard future generations.