The Increasing Global Obesity Rate
The share of people globally who are overweight or obese is increasing rapidly.
October 30, 2015
1. As of 2013, 9% of the world’s population — or about 671 million people — is considered obese.
2. Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30% or higher. BMI is a rough measurement of body fat based on a person’s height and weight.
3. Obesity is associated with a host of health problems, including diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
The World’s Heavyweight Nations
4. More broadly, 29% of the world’s population is either overweight or obese.
5. The number of overweight or obese people increased from 857 million in 1980 to 2.1 billion in 2013 — an increase of 145%.
6. The increase in the number of overweight or obese people globally is more than double the 61% increase in world population over the same 33 years.
Source: Centers for Disease Control with additional analysis by The Globalist Research Center
