"Obesity Levels Stall in Developed Nations, Surge in Low-Income Countries: Global Obesity Landscape Shifting [Reading Science]"

Nature Analyzes Data from 232 Million People
"Obesity Increase Varies by Country"

"South Korea's Rise Is Moderate... Potential Public Health Crisis in Low-Income Countries"

A large-scale international study has found that while the global obesity rate is slowing down in developed countries, it is actually accelerating in low- and middle-income countries. The researchers pointed out that obesity should not be viewed simply as a “global pandemic,” but rather should be approached differently depending on country, age, and gender.

The Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD Risk Factor Collaboration·NCD-RisC), an international research network involving around 2,000 scientists worldwide, published its findings in the international journal Nature on May 14, based on an analysis of height and weight data from 232 million people collected in 200 countries and regions between 1980 and 2024.

A large-scale international study has found that while the global obesity rate increase is slowing down in developed countries, it is accelerating in low- and middle-income countries. Reference photo to aid in understanding the article. Provided by Pixabay.

The research found that, although obesity rates have increased in almost every country over the past 45 years, the speed and pattern of this increase have differed significantly by country.

In high-income countries such as Western Europe, North America, and Australasia, the obesity rate rose rapidly during the 1980s and 1990s, but has recently slowed or plateaued. In some Western European countries, the adult obesity rate has stabilized at around 11% to 23%, and the prevalence among children and adolescents has also tended to plateau at around 4% to 15%.

In contrast, in some countries in Central Europe and Latin America, the adult obesity rate has risen to between 30% and 40%. The researchers analyzed that the rapid increase in obesity rates in low- and middle-income countries is due to the combined effects of economic growth, urbanization, the spread of ultra-processed foods, and a decrease in physical activity.

In the case of South Korea, the overall obesity rate has continued to rise, but the rate of increase has tended to be relatively moderate, according to the researchers. However, the trend differed by gender.

Suh Youngkyo, Principal Researcher at the Aging Convergence Research Division of the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, explained to the Science Media Center Korea (SMCK), “This study demonstrates that there is a strong obesogenic force driving obesity worldwide,” adding, “While the rate of increase is slowing in high-income countries, low- and middle-income countries are now experiencing a full-scale obesity epidemic.”

She continued, “Going forward, it is highly likely that the center of gravity for the global obesity problem will shift to low- and middle-income countries. If economic growth and urbanization combine with the spread of ultra-processed foods, even countries with currently low obesity rates could see a rapid acceleration in the rate of increase.”

Marie Spreckley, Research Programme Manager at the University of Cambridge (UK), commented, “The core finding of this study is not that obesity is no longer a critical public health issue, but rather that the trajectory of obesity differs from country to country.”

She added, “Some high-income countries are showing signs of a slowdown or stabilization in obesity rates, but the high prevalence itself remains a significant social burden. Understanding why certain countries show relatively better trends will be a key challenge for future obesity policies and prevention strategies.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.