science
Obesity Rates Level Off or Decline in Some High-Income Countries
A study covering data from 1980 to 2024 found that while obesity prevalence increased in nearly all countries, the rate of increase has slowed, plateaued or potentially reversed in many high-income nations. Slowdowns appeared first among children and adolescents in countries such as Denmark, the UK, the US, Germany and Japan.
May 13, 11:00 AM·2m read1 source
The GuardianAudio version
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A continuing rise in obesity around the world is not inevitable, according to research that found rates in some countries levelling off or potentially in decline. The study calculated the change in obesity prevalence each year between 1980 and 2024 for each country.
It drew on data from 4,050 population-based studies involving 232 million participants aged five years and above. Researchers reported that the prevalence of obesity increased in almost all countries over the 45-year period. In most high-income countries, however, a rapid rise in obesity prevalence has been replaced by a slower increase, a plateau or a potential decline.
The rate of growth in obesity is slowing in adults in the US and UK, reaching a prevalence of 40-43% and 27-30% respectively in 2024. Obesity is increasing steadily in Finland, has plateaued in Germany and may have started to decline in France, where 24-25%, 20-23% and 11-12% of adults respectively were estimated to have the condition in 2024.
Slowdowns were often seen in children and adolescents before adults. For that group the slowdown started as early as 1990 in Denmark and rates stabilised in most high-income countries by the mid-2000s. Obesity has plateaued in boys and girls in the UK, US, Germany and Japan at prevalences of 10-12%, 20-23%, 7-12% and 3-7% respectively.
Meanwhile obesity among young people and adults in many low-income and middle-income countries continues to rise and in some cases this is accelerating. The research team said it is important to examine what is behind the trends in different countries.
The situation is complex. While there may be shared reasons for obesity such as easy access to unhealthy foods or a decrease in physical activity, country-specific factors rooted in social, economic and policy considerations could also be important.
