If current trends continue, 51% of the world's population will be overweight or obese by 2035, costing the world $4.32 trillion annually. The cost would equate to almost 3% of the global gross domestic product (GDP) and is comparable with the impact of COVID-19 in 2020, according to The World Obesity Atlas 2023,  a report released March 4 (World Obesity Day) by the World Obesity Federation.

The report predicts that more than 1.5 billion adults and nearly 400 million children will be obese in 2035, which is one in four people, compared to one in seven people today. When adding in people who are overweight, the number will total 4 billion, according to the organization.

Every region will see an increase in economic impact by 2035 with the Americas (North, Central and South America) shouldering the highest costs as a proportion of GDP (3.7%) and the Western Pacific region facing the highest total costs (US$1.56 trillion), the report predicts.

The World Obesity Federation, which presented its report to the United Nations, is calling on governments to develop national action plans to battle obesity. In 2020, a panel of global obesity experts developed a framework to help guide governments. The framework calls for:

• Recognizing the root causes of obesity
• Monitoring obesity data
• Investing in obesity prevention
• Ensuring access to treatments for obesity
• Adopting a systems-based approach to fighting obesity

To download the free report, click here