New stats show obesity rates are growing. 

A global analysis published in The Lancet finds that over one billion people around the world now grapple with obesity. 

This figure follows significant escalations in obesity rates among both adults and children, with Australia seeing a particularly concerning rise in its national figures.

Globally, the incidence of obesity among children and adolescents is now quadruple what it was back in 1990, a trend mirrored in adult populations where obesity rates have more than doubled for women and nearly tripled for men. 

In Australia, the prevalence of obesity among adults has surged, affecting approximately one in three men and women, a notable increase from one in seven women and one in eight men three decades ago. 

Australian children are not spared, with current data showing that one in seven boys and one in six girls are now obese.

These trends highlight a shift in malnutrition patterns, with obesity emerging as the most prevalent form in many countries, overshadowing underweight rates. 

The study, led by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), draws from an extensive dataset covering over 220 million people across more than 190 countries.

Senior author Professor Majid Ezzati of Imperial College London expressed deep concern over these findings, saying they show an urgent need for improved access to healthy, nutritious foods to combat both obesity and undernutrition, particularly in the world's poorest regions.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has underscored the importance of preventive and management strategies from early life through adulthood, involving diet, physical activity, and adequate care as necessary. 

He highlighted the role of governments, communities, and the private sector in working together to meet global targets for curbing obesity.

As obesity rates continue to climb globally and in Australia, the study calls for a multifaceted approach to tackle this burgeoning health crisis. 

It stresses the importance of international cooperation and comprehensive policies that address the underlying causes of both obesity and undernutrition, including the impacts of climate change, pandemics, and geopolitical conflicts.