Global obesity rates diverge between wealthy and developing nations

A large-scale international study published in the journal Nature, involving data from 232 million people across 200 countries, reveals a diverging global trend in obesity rates. While obesity levels have stabilized or even slightly declined in high-income nations—including Italy, France, and Portugal—rates continue to accelerate rapidly in low- and middle-income economies.

In developing regions such as Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and South Asia, the rise is attributed to rapid urbanization, increased consumption of inexpensive ultra-processed foods, sedentary lifestyles, and limited access to healthy diets. This has led to a “nutritional paradox” where malnutrition and obesity coexist within the same countries and families.

In response to these findings, the United Nations has proposed taxing junk food and regulating food marketing aimed at minors to combat the trend. Experts note that while legislative efforts and public awareness campaigns have helped curb obesity in Western nations, many developing countries lack the necessary regulatory frameworks to manage the influx of unhealthy food options.