A Shocking Number of Americans Will Be Obese by 2050, According to a New Study
Obesity in the United States has continued to rise for decades even in the face of increased awareness and access to healthy lifestyle choices. A new study published in The Lancet medical journal predicts that this trend won't be reversing anytime son.
The new research projects that the obesity epidemic will reach concerning levels by the middle of this century. In total, scientists believe that 213 million adults and 43.1 million children and adolescents will be overweight or obese by 2050. While that might seem far off, we're already in deep water. As of 2021, 172 million adults and 36.5 million children and adolescents were overweight or obese. The current U.S. population sits at around 335 million people and is expected to reach more than 370 million by 2050.
"Obesity is at a crisis point throughout the USA," study co-author Dr. Marie Ng stated plainly to CNN.
The team at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington made their predictions using information from 134 different sources, which included all major national surveillance survey data. Their projection model outlined just how bad things can get if we continue down this same path.
Past studies have illuminated just how dangerous rates of obesity have become; they're among the fastest-growing risk factors for early death or disability in the U.S. Those affected can face a wide variety of health complications like diabetes, cancer, cardiac issues, trouble breathing, and even mental health problems.
Young people with obesity are especially at risk of future health problems, so the numbers for children and adolescents should be especially concerning. Established research has shown that young people who are obese or overweight are significantly more likely to have weight problems later in life.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is key not just to remain out of this statistic, but to ensure positive health outcomes at every point in your life. Still, personal responsibility alone won't bring the country as a whole out of this epidemic.
"Existing policies have failed to address overweight and obesity. Without major reform, the forecasted trends will be devastating at the individual and population level, and the associated disease burden and economic costs will continue to escalate," the scientists concluded in their study. "Stronger governance is needed to support and implement a multifaceted whole-system approach to disrupt the structural drivers of overweight and obesity at both national and local levels. Although clinical innovations should be leveraged to treat and manage existing obesity equitably, population-level prevention remains central to any intervention strategies, particularly for children and adolescents."
