{"id":1942301,"date":"2026-05-18T07:00:06","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T04:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1942301"},"modified":"2026-05-18T07:00:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T04:00:06","slug":"obesity-rates-plateau-in-wealthy-nations-but-keep-rising-elsewhere-global-study-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1942301","title":{"rendered":"Obesity rates plateau in wealthy nations but keep rising elsewhere, global study finds"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/92\/70\/1200x675_cmsv2_f4779d78-baed-5679-a4b2-de4947f92ae9-9759270.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2894641-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2894641\" data-cid=\"9762821\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894641-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" 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src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/29\/95\/189x106_cmsv2_c37e9b45-5baf-5230-9785-757bdab203d8-9762995.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Latest news bulletin | May 18th, 2026 \u2013 Evening\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Top News Stories Today<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Latest news bulletin | May 18th, 2026 \u2013 Evening\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893728-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2893728\" data-cid=\"9758776\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893728-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/87\/76\/189x106_cmsv2_edcb06dd-e20e-56ee-8e33-193f72de4300-9758776.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"2026 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News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    As trade war with China looms, how can the EU defend itself?\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894661-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2894661\" data-cid=\"9762999\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894661-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/29\/99\/189x106_cmsv2_9ae66edc-7c19-529a-9ea1-e9dffc87bb8a-9762999.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE: This undated photograph released by the UAE's state-run WAM news agency shows the under-construction Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi's Western desert\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    United Arab Emirates<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    UAE still investigating mystery nuclear plant drone attack\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894657-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2894657\" data-cid=\"9762995\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894657-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/29\/95\/189x106_cmsv2_c37e9b45-5baf-5230-9785-757bdab203d8-9762995.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Latest news bulletin | May 18th, 2026 \u2013 Evening\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Top News Stories Today<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Latest news bulletin | May 18th, 2026 \u2013 Evening\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893728-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2893728\" data-cid=\"9758776\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893728-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/87\/76\/189x106_cmsv2_edcb06dd-e20e-56ee-8e33-193f72de4300-9758776.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"2026 International Booker prize shortlist preview\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    The six books competing for the International Booker Prize 2026\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Health<\/p>\n<p>                          Health news<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Obesity rates plateau in wealthy nations but keep rising elsewhere, global study finds<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/92\/70\/1536x864_cmsv2_f4779d78-baed-5679-a4b2-de4947f92ae9-9759270.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Obesity rise is slowing in wealthy nations - but accelerating sharply across the developing world\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Obesity rise is slowing in wealthy nations &#8211; but accelerating sharply across the developing world<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">Credit: Pexels <\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0Credit: Pexels\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspTheo Farrant\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1779087606\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-05-18 09:00:06 +02:00\">18\/05\/2026 &#8211; 9:00 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup-overlay js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup-overlay u-display-none\">\n<div id=\"js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup\" class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup\">\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup__header u-display-flex\"><span>Share<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/icon-close.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" 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u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-telegram.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"telegram\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Telegram<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-telegram.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"telegram\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-vk.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"vk\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>VK<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-vk.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"vk\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 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u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Researchers say the findings of the study challenge the idea of a single global obesity \u201cepidemic\u201d, revealing major differences between countries, age groups and sexes.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content c-article-content--health js-article-content\">\n<p>Obesity rates have continued to climb sharply in many low- and middle-income countries over the past four decades, while levels have stabilised in much of Western Europe and other high-income nations, according to a major new global study.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The research, published in Nature, analysed data from 232 million people across 200 countries and territories between 1980 and 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers say the study challenges the idea of describing obesity as a single &#8220;global epidemic&#8221;, which can overlook &#8220;the fact that trajectories differ substantially between countries, age groups and sex&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p>The study was carried out by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration, a network of nearly 2,000 scientists worldwide, using data from more than 4,000 population-based studies measuring height and weight in people aged five and older.<\/p>\n<h2>What is the definition of obesity?<\/h2>\n<p>The definition of obesity used by this study &#8211; and by most global surveillance &#8211; remains the World Health Organization&#8217;s BMI based framework. <\/p>\n<p>For adults, a BMI of 30 or above is classified as obesity. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight.<\/p>\n<p>For children and teenagers aged 5 to 19, the definition is slightly different. Obesity is measured as having a BMI that is more than two standard deviations above the WHO growth standard for their age and sex.<\/p>\n<h2>Findings of the study<\/h2>\n<p>According to researchers, in most high-income western countries &#8211; including those in Western Europe, North America and Australasia &#8211; the rise in childhood obesity began to slow during the 1990s and had largely plateaued by the mid-2000s. In some countries, rates may even be gently declining.<\/p>\n<p>Denmark was among the earliest to see the slowdown, with rates stabilising around 1990. By the 2010s, countries like France, Italy and Portugal were showing signs of a small but meaningful reversal in child obesity &#8211; the first time such a types of declines had been observed at a national level. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id data-event=\"widget_related\">\n<div class=\"c-widget-related__title\"><b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b><\/div>\n<ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">British children are growing taller due to obesity: How widespread is obesity across Europe?<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">Parents\u2019 stress may play a key role in child obesity, study finds<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>For adults, a similar trend followed typically about a decade later than for children.<\/p>\n<p>In Western Europe more broadly, adult obesity prevalence in 2024 generally remains below 25 percent, and as low as 11 percent in France &#8211; a significant contrast to English-speaking high-income countries. <\/p>\n<p>In the <strong>United Kingdom<\/strong>, Canada and the United States, adult obesity rates range from 25 percent to 43 percent. <\/p>\n<h2>The alarming picture in the developing world<\/h2>\n<p>While many wealthier nations appear to have reached a plateau, the situation is very different in large parts of the developing world. <\/p>\n<p>In most low- and middle-income countries across sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, Latin America and Pacific Island nations, obesity continues to climb &#8211; and in many places, the pace of increase is actually speeding up.<\/p>\n<p>In 2024, obesity prevalence was rising fastst of all &#8211; at more than half a percentage point per year &#8211; in 36 countries for girls and 35 countries for boys. The highest velocities were recorded in Tonga and Samoa for girls, and Peru for boys. <\/p>\n<p>Pacific Island nations present some of the most extreme cases. In Tonga and the Cook Islands, more than 65 percent of the adult population is now obese. <\/p>\n<p>Alarmingly, even in countries where obesity was previously very rare, such as Ethiopia, Rwanda and Bangladesh, rates are now climbing. <\/p>\n<h2>What is behind the trends in different countries and what can be done?<\/h2>\n<p>The study says there is no single explanation for the global differences. <\/p>\n<p>Instead, obesity trends are shaped by a combination of factors, including access to ultra-processed foods, changes in physical activity, income levels, and how health systems respond.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id data-event=\"widget_related\">\n<div class=\"c-widget-related__title\"><b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b><\/div>\n<ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">Countries worldwide must clean up school food as child obesity rises at alarming rate, WHO urges<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>Public policy also appears to play a role. The authors point to measures such as sugar taxes as one of the few interventions that has shown measurable, if modest, effects on obesity levels at population scale.<\/p>\n<p>However, researches stress that responses to obesity need to be specifically tailored to individual countries: &#8220;What is needed is nuanced nutritional and health policies and programmes that are relevant for each country, especially those that support people with lower income and education towards eating healthy foods, having an active lifestyle and using relevant health care interventions to attain and maintain health, functional capacity and quality of life across the life course.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>The study also notes that weight-loss medications could become an important tool in future obesity management, but warns that &#8220;their highly variable costs through public and private providers are currently an obstacle to increasing their coverage and may increase inequalities.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>Overall the study cautions that without stronger and more targeted action, many low- and middle-income countries risk locking in high obesity levels for decades, and placing long-term pressure on health systems.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__container\">\n<article id=\"abe-2891619-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" 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src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/97\/41\/320x180_cmsv2_7fa202fc-b10c-5498-93bb-2e8be3675804-9759741.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - A health worker sprays disinfectant on his colleague after working at an Ebola treatment center in Beni, eastern Congo, Sept 9, 2018\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    65 dead in Congo Ebola outbreak, Africa health agency says<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2893738-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893738\" data-cid=\"9758820\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893738-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/88\/20\/320x180_cmsv2_2728e0ce-5b2d-5e08-ace4-c24f8818f801-9758820.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Too few or too many hours of sleep may speed ageing in the brain, heart, lungs, and immune system and be linked to several diseases, according to a new study.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Are you sleeping too little or too much for healthy ageing?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2893442-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893442\" data-cid=\"9757181\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893442-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" 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and be linked to several diseases, according to a new study.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Are you sleeping too little or too much for healthy ageing?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893442-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893442\" data-cid=\"9757181\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893442-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/71\/81\/320x180_cmsv2_f6cdf6ce-266f-558f-97d4-8c1e394dac24-9757181.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Several vegetables on dark background\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Want your child to eat more greens? It could start during pregnancy<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893182-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893182\" data-cid=\"9755924\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2893182-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/59\/24\/320x180_cmsv2_db05bc9b-8688-5916-9e57-9d8a49f3cbf3-9755924.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A new study suggests naming emotions may be especially helpful for people with higher autistic traits because it can reduce feelings of uncertainty and anxiety.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Finding the right words for feelings could help ease anxiety, study<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2362642-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2362642\" data-cid=\"7870952\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    COVID: Should we fear a new winter wave?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893861-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893861\" data-cid=\"9759270\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Obesity rates plateau in wealthy nations: study<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2440852-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2440852\" data-cid=\"8124816\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Scientists discover first new antibiotics in over 60 years using AI<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2819816-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2819816\" data-cid=\"9396520\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Greece cuts emergency care waiting times by using QR codes for triage<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2866142-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2866142\" data-cid=\"9631035\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Assisted dying: France rejects the bill in the Senate<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">Obesity rates have continued to climb sharply in many low- and middle-income countries over the past four decades, while levels have stabilised in much of Western Europe and other high-income nations, according to a major new global study.The research, published in Nature, analysed data from 232 million people across 200 countries and territories between 1980 and 2024.Researchers say the study challenges the idea of describing obesity as a single &#8220;global epidemic&#8221;, which can overlook &#8220;the fact that trajectories differ substantially between countries, age groups and sex&#8221;.The study was carried out by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration, a network of nearly 2,000 scientists worldwide, using data from more than 4,000 population-based studies measuring height and weight in people aged five and older.What is the definition of obesity?The definition of obesity used by this study &#8211; and by most global surveillance &#8211; remains the World Health Organization&#8217;s BMI based framework.For adults, a BMI of 30 or above is classified as obesity. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight.For children and teenagers aged 5 to 19, the definition is slightly different. Obesity is measured as having a BMI that is more than two standard deviations above the WHO growth standard for their age and sex.Findings of the studyAccording to researchers, in most high-income western countries &#8211; including those in Western Europe, North America and Australasia &#8211; the rise in childhood obesity began to slow during the 1990s and had largely plateaued by the mid-2000s. In some countries, rates may even be gently declining.Denmark was among the earliest to see the slowdown, with rates stabilising around 1990. By the 2010s, countries like France, Italy and Portugal were showing signs of a small but meaningful reversal in child obesity &#8211; the first time such a types of declines had been observed at a national level.For adults, a similar trend followed typically about a decade later than for children.In Western Europe more broadly, adult obesity prevalence in 2024 generally remains below 25 percent, and as low as 11 percent in France &#8211; a significant contrast to English-speaking high-income countries.In the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, adult obesity rates range from 25 percent to 43 percent.The alarming picture in the developing worldWhile many wealthier nations appear to have reached a plateau, the situation is very different in large parts of the developing world.In most low- and middle-income countries across sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, Latin America and Pacific Island nations, obesity continues to climb &#8211; and in many places, the pace of increase is actually speeding up.In 2024, obesity prevalence was rising fastst of all &#8211; at more than half a percentage point per year &#8211; in 36 countries for girls and 35 countries for boys. The highest velocities were recorded in Tonga and Samoa for girls, and Peru for boys.Pacific Island nations present some of the most extreme cases. In Tonga and the Cook Islands, more than 65 percent of the adult population is now obese.Alarmingly, even in countries where obesity was previously very rare, such as Ethiopia, Rwanda and Bangladesh, rates are now climbing.What is behind the trends in different countries and what can be done?The study says there is no single explanation for the global differences.Instead, obesity trends are shaped by a combination of factors, including access to ultra-processed foods, changes in physical activity, income levels, and how health systems respond.Public policy also appears to play a role. The authors point to measures such as sugar taxes as one of the few interventions that has shown measurable, if modest, effects on obesity levels at population scale.However, researches stress that responses to obesity need to be specifically tailored to individual countries: &#8220;What is needed is nuanced nutritional and health policies and programmes that are relevant for each country, especially those that support people with lower income and education towards eating healthy foods, having an active lifestyle and using relevant health\u00a0care interventions to attain and maintain health, functional capacity and quality of life across the life course.&#8221;The study also notes that weight-loss medications could become an important tool in future obesity management, but warns that &#8220;their highly variable costs through public and private providers are currently an obstacle to increasing their coverage and may increase inequalities.&#8221;Overall the study cautions that without stronger and more targeted action, many low- and middle-income countries risk locking in high obesity levels for decades, and placing long-term pressure on health systems.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/health\/2026\/05\/18\/obesity-rates-plateau-in-wealthy-nations-but-keep-rising-elsewhere-global-study-finds&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/75\/92\/70\/1200x675_cmsv2_f4779d78-baed-5679-a4b2-de4947f92ae9-9759270.jpg&#8221;] Europe News As trade war with China looms, how can the EU defend itself? United Arab Emirates UAE still investigating mystery nuclear plant drone attack Top News Stories Today Latest news bulletin | May 18th, 2026 \u2013 Evening Culture news The six books competing for the International Booker Prize 2026 Europe News [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-1942301","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1942301","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1942301"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1942301\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1942301"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1942301"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1942301"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}