Obesity, OMS: is a complex multifactorial chronic illness

Globesity  - as named by the Italian economist and agronomist Andrea Segrè – shows that the global costs of overweight and obesity will reach $18 trillion annually by 2060.

The WHO defines obesity as a chronic multifactorial disease characterized by excessive fat deposits, which can compromise health, due to obesogenic environments, psychosocial factors, genetic variables, as well as major etiological factors such as diseases, medications, forced immobilization, and iatrogenic procedures.

In an obesogenic environment, the availability of healthy and sustainable food at locally accessible prices is structurally limited, there is a lack of easy and safe physical mobility in daily life, and there is an absence of adequate legal and regulatory context.

The progression towards obesity is aggravated by the lack of an effective response from the healthcare system, which fails to identify early in the initial stages the excess weight gain and fat deposition in people who are at higher risk of getting sick.

Obese individuals have an increased risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and tumors. Obesity also significantly influences bone health and reproduction and impacts quality of life, such as mobility and good sleep.

Childhood and adolescent obesity have negative psychosocial consequences, from lower academic performance to worsened quality of life. It is exacerbated by stigma, discrimination, and widespread bullying.

Epidemiological data show that, compared to 1990, obesity has doubled in adults and quadrupled in adolescents. It appears that in 2022, one in eight people worldwide lived with obesity: there were 890 million people (aged 18 and over), representing 16% of the adult population. Another two and a half billion adults are overweight (43%). There are also 37 million children under 5 years old and 390 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 who are overweight, with 160 million of them living with obesity.

It seems paradoxical that in the poorest countries, malnutrition in all its forms and obesity commonly coexist. There is a double burden of malnutrition. Children, more vulnerable to inadequate nutrition, are more exposed to high-energy foods – high in sugars, fats, and salt – but poor in micronutrients, which cost less but also have lower nutrient quality. WHO believes that these dietary patterns, associated with reduced levels of physical activity, lead to a sharp increase in childhood obesity, leaving malnutrition problems unresolved.

To reduce risk, people can enjoy a healthy life by taking better care of their diet, the duration and quality of sleep, emotional self-regulation, as well as avoiding tobacco and alcohol and engaging in regular physical activity. It is also important to be careful not to gain too much weight during pregnancy, practice exclusive breastfeeding for an extended period, and support all children, regardless of their weight status, to ensure they eat healthily, sleep well, and are not sedentary.”