A recent study in the medical journal The Lancet found a dramatic rise in obesity and overweight status, particularly among young people, in the Middle East, The National reported on Monday, highlighting the contrasts in a region also suffering significant malnutrition. The post Study: Middle East Expected to Have Most Obese Youth by 2050 appeared first on Breitbart.
A study published in The Lancet highlights a significant rise in obesity and overweight rates among young people in the Middle East, projecting that the region will have the highest rates globally by 2050. Despite ongoing malnutrition issues, the region has struggled to adapt policies addressing unhealthy饮食 and physical inactivity. The study, analyzing data from 180 countries since 1990, found that the number of overweight or obese adults surged from 1 million in 1990 to 2.6 billion in 2021, with a projected 3.8 billion by 2050. The Middle East and Latin America are experiencing the fastest growth, with the Middle East expected to surpass North America in obesity rates. By 2050, 55% of young people (ages 5-24) in the Middle East could be overweight or obese, with Gulf countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait anticipating rates over 70%. The booming fast food market in the Arab world, valued at $37.23 billion in 2023 and projected to reach $52 billion by 2032, contributes to this trend. UNICEF reports a triple burden of malnutrition, including obesity and stunting, affecting children in the region. The lead author of the study describes the situation as a profound societal failure.