Obesity identified as major global health threat by The Lancet

A new report from The Lancet Commission identifies obesity, poor nutrition, and physical inactivity as critical global health threats. In 154 out of 204 regions studied, addressing these lifestyle factors could yield greater public health benefits than tackling any other single threat, including climate change, pandemics, or antibiotic resistance.

Projections suggest that if current trends continue, approximately 60% of adults and one in three children and adolescents worldwide will be overweight or obese by 2050. Researchers noted that even the widespread use of new anti-obesity medications may offer limited population-level improvements.

In Greece, the situation is particularly concerning among younger populations. Data from a 2025 study involving 3,357 Greek students aged 11-15 revealed that 83.9% did not engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-intense physical activity daily, while 90.2% exceeded two hours of daily screen time.