Obesity continues to be one of the biggest health crises in the United States. Now, a new study predicts that 260 million Americans will be overweight or obese within the next 25 years.
Published in the journal "The Lancet," the study analyzed historical data from 134 sources, including information from major national surveillance surveys to estimate the prevalence rate of overweight and obesity in the country.
Researchers from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington found that an estimated 80% of Americans could be overweight or obese in the next 25 years. If current health trends and policies continue, an additional 3.3 million youth (aged 5 to 14 years), 3.41 million older adolescents (15 to 24 years), and 41.4 million adults (25 and above) will be overweight or obese by 2050.
By then, 81.1% of male adults and 82.1% of female adults would be overweight. Over 60% of female adolescents and 54% males from the same age group would also suffer from the condition.
Moreover, in most states, one in three adolescents and two in three adults would be obese. Utah and Colorado are predicted to have the highest increase in numbers.
The results show that existing policies to address the obesity epidemic have not been very effective. The researchers hope that their study will not only help assess the effectiveness of current interventions but also aid in future health policy changes.
According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in five adults in America lives with obesity. In 23 states, one in three (35%) are obese.
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