Global youth obesity rates skyrocketing

Global child and teenage obesity levels have risen rapidly in the last decades, meaning 124 million boys and girls are too fat, BBC reported on Wednesday, citing a new research.

The analysis in the Lancet is the largest of its kind and looks at obesity trends in more than 200 countries.

The largest increase in the number of obese children and adolescents has been in East Asia. China and India have seen rates “balloon” in recent years.

Obese children are likely to become obese adults, putting them at risk of serious health problems, say experts.

These include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer, such as breast and colon.

The Lancet analysis, released on World Obesity Day, comes as researchers from the World Obesity Federation warn that the global cost of treating ill health caused by obesity will exceed $1214 billion every year from 2025.

Although child obesity rates appear to be stabilizing in many high-income European countries including the UK, they are accelerating at an alarming rate in many other parts of the world, lead researcher Professor Majid Ezzati from Imperial College London says.

Researchers believe wide availability and promotion of cheap, fattening food is one of the main drivers, according to the report. If current world trends continue, “obesity” will soon be more common than “underweight,” researchers say.