Research
Mixed
Severe obesity is rising rapidly in high-income countries and is projected to double in prevalence between 2020 and 2035, posing a significant threat to healthcare systems.
Even if general obesity rates have stabilized in your country, severe obesity is doubling. This means the health risks and healthcare costs are increasing significantly. Focus on preventing the progression to severe obesity through early intervention.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
In high-income populations, severe obesity is expected to double its prevalence from 10 to 20% between 2020 and 2035, posing an enormous threat for healthcare systems.
Why this rating
Based on projections from the World Obesity Atlas 2023.
Source
Update on the Obesity Epidemic: After the Sudden Rise, Is the Upward Trajectory Beginning to Flatten?
Chrysi Koliaki et al. · Current Obesity Reports · 2023
DOI 10.1007/s13679-023-00527-y
narrative_reviewCited 366×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Obesity prevalence trends in high-income countries have stabilized or plateaued since approximately 2000, contrasting with continuous increases in low- and middle-income nations.Good
- Increased energy intake, driven by the availability of cheap, energy-dense, ultra-processed foods, is the primary driver of the obesity epidemic, outweighing the contribution of reduced physical activity.Good
Related findings · Mixed
- Bariatric surgery (VSG and RYGB) is the most effective and sustainable treatment for obesity, producing marked and sustained weight loss that non-surgical interventions cannot match.Strong
- Severely protein-deficient diets (2–3% energy) induce lean body mass loss and metabolic imbalance, whereas adequate protein intake (0.66 g/kg/d minimum) is a prerequisite for maintaining muscle, bone, and physiological function.Strong
- For patients with Class III obesity (BMI >39.9 kg/m2), metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is significantly more effective than any currently approved medication, with BilioPancreatic Diversion (BPD) showing the highest estimated weight loss.Strong
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