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U.S. Overweight, Obesity Rates Set to Continue Increasing to 2050

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Nov 22, 2024.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Nov. 21, 2024 -- Based on the current trajectory, overweight and obesity will continue increasing in the United States up to 2050, according to a study published online Nov. 14 in The Lancet.

Marie Ng, Ph.D., from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle, and colleagues extracted self-reported and measured anthropometric data from 134 unique sources to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity from 1990 to 2021 and forecast prevalence to 2050 for children and adolescents and adults.

The researchers found that in the United States, an estimated 15.1 million children and young adolescents (5 to 14 years), 21.4 million older adolescents (aged 15 to 24 years), and 172 million adults (aged 25 years and older) had overweight or obesity in 2021. Over time, the prevalence of obesity has outpaced the increase in overweight, especially among adolescents. The percentage change in the age-standardized prevalence of obesity increased by 158.4 and 185.9 percent among male and female adolescents, respectively, between 1990 and 2021; for adults, the percentage change was 123.6 and 99.9 percent for men and women, respectively. An additional 3.33 million children and young adolescents, 3.41 million older adolescents, and 41.4 million adults will have obesity by 2050 if past trends and patterns continue. The total number of children and adolescents with overweight and obesity will reach 43.1 million by 2050, and the total number of adults will reach 213 million.

"Existing policies have not shown adequate effectiveness," the authors write. "Future strategies must involve a multifaceted, whole-system approach, taking into consideration the complex drivers of obesity."

Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted November 2024

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