Number of obese people worldwide surpasses one billion

Published

2 years ago

March 1, 2024

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The number of obese people worldwide has surpassed one billion, according to global analysis.

Research published by The Lancet journal shows 879 million adults and 159 million children were obese in 2022 – the most recent year included in the analysis.

In the UK, around 16.8 million people are living with obesity – which includes eight million women, 7.4 million men, 760,000 boys and 590,000 girls, according to the study.

The study was conducted by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration – a network of health scientists around the world – in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The data shows that globally, obesity rates among children and adolescents quadrupled from 1990 to 2022, while rates among adults more than doubled.

Meanwhile, the study also revealed that the rates of children and adolescents who were underweight dropped over the same period and more than halved among adults worldwide.

This makes obesity the most common form of malnutrition in many countries, the researchers said.

Senior author Professor Majid Ezzati, of Imperial College London, said: “It is very concerning that the epidemic of obesity that was evident among adults in much of the world in 1990 is now mirrored in school-aged children and adolescents.

“At the same time, hundreds of millions are still affected by undernutrition, particularly in some of the poorest parts of the world.

“To successfully tackle both forms of malnutrition it is vital we significantly improve the availability and affordability of healthy, nutritious foods.”

In the UK, the obesity rate among adults increased from 13.8% in 1990 to 28.3% in 2022 for women and 10.7% to 26.9% in 2022 for men.

For children and adolescents, the rate jumped from 4.7% in 1990 to 10.1% in 2022 for girls and 4.3% to 12.4% in 2022 for boys.

Meanwhile globally, the obesity rate more than doubled in women, nearly tripled in men, and more than quadrupled in girls and boys, from 1990 to 2022.

Places with the highest prevalence of obesity include Tonga, American Samoa, Polynesia and Micronesia, Cook Islands and Niue.

Data also showed that globally, as of 2022, around 532 million people are underweight, including 183 million women, 164 million men, 77 million girls and 108 million boys.

And in the UK, around 981,000 people are underweight, which includes 430,000 women, 360,000 men, 61,000 girls and 130,000 boys.

How was the study carried out?

The researchers used body mass index (BMI), which is calculated using a person’s weight and height, to understand how obesity and underweight levels have changed worldwide over three decades.

The team gathered data from more than 3,000 population studies with 222 million people.

The researchers said that although BMI is an imperfect measure for determining the extent of body fat, it is widely recorded in population-based surveys.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the WHO, said: “This new study highlights the importance of preventing and managing obesity from early life to adulthood, through diet, physical activity and adequate care, as needed.

“Getting back on track to meet the global targets for curbing obesity will take the work of governments and communities, supported by evidence-based policies from WHO and national public health agencies.

“Importantly, it requires the co-operation of the private sector, which must be accountable for the health impacts of their products.”

Figures ‘as alarming to parents as they are to NHS’

Professor Simon Kenny, NHS England’s national clinical director for children and young people, said: “These figures will be as alarming to parents as they are to the NHS.

“Obesity affects every human organ system, and so at a young age can have a major impact on a child’s life, increasing their risk of type 2 diabetes, cancer, mental health issues and many other illnesses, which can lead to shorter and unhappier lives.

“The NHS is committed to helping as many young people and families affected by extreme weight issues as possible through our new network of 30 specialist clinics, which offer tailored packages of physical, psychological and social support – but the NHS cannot solve this issue alone, and continued joined-up action by industry and wider society is needed if we are to avoid a ticking health timebomb for the future.”

UK

Police appeal after man charged with murdering two women and raping third

Published

16 mins ago

November 24, 2025

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Police appeal after man charged with murdering two women and raping third

Police have appealed for information after a man was charged with murdering two women and raping a third.

Simon Levy has been charged with murdering 53-year-old Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo who died on the Aylesbury Estate, south-east London, on 17 March, the Metropolitan Police said.

In September, Levy, of Beaufoy Road, Tottenham, north London, was charged with murdering 39-year-old Sheryl Wilkins who was found unresponsive in High Road, Tottenham, on 24 August.

He is also accused of grievous bodily harm with intent, non-fatal strangulation and two counts of rape against a third woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in Haringey, north London, on 21 January, police said.

The 40-year-old will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday charged with Ms Valencia-Trujillo’s murder.

He is also due to appear at the Old Bailey on Wednesday for a plea and trial preparation hearing for the murder of Ms Wilkins.

Detectives believe there may be individuals who have information relevant to this investigation – or who are yet to report incidents which have directly impacted them – and are asking for people to come forward.

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UK

Family of woman killed 56 years ago, in a case of mistaken identity, believe her remains are buried in a garden

Published

16 mins ago

November 24, 2025

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Family of woman killed 56 years ago, in a case of mistaken identity, believe her remains are buried in a garden

The family of murder victim Muriel McKay believe her remains are buried in a garden in east London, the High Court has heard.

Ms McKay was officially declared dead by a High Court judge earlier this month, 56 years after being kidnapped.

The 55-year-old was taken from her London home by Nizamodeen and his brother Arthur Hosein in December 1969.

They mistook her for Anna, the wife of media mogul Rupert Murdoch.

Ms McKay’s husband was newspaper executive Alick McKay, the deputy to newspaper mogul Rupert Murdoch.

The kidnappers realised their mistake, but still demanded a £1m ransom for her safe return.

The two Hosein brothers were convicted and jailed for life in one of the first murder trials without a body. Arthur Hosein died in prison.

On Monday, barristers for two of Ms McKay’s children, Ian McKay and Dianne Levinson, asked a judge to order that the homeowners of two neighbouring properties on Bethnal Green Road allow the family to conduct a “ground-penetrating radar survey” of a shared back garden.

One of the homeowners, Madeleine Higson, opposes the injunction bid, which would also stop her from disturbing the garden.

Mr Justice Richard Smith said he will hand down his judgment at 2pm on Tuesday, stating the case involved “not uncomplicated legal sensitivities”.

Speaking following the hearing, Ms McKay’s grandson Mark Dyer said the bid to discover her remains was “important to the whole family”.

He said: “We do not want to be felt sorry for, we just actually want to get on and … scan the place, check for my grandmother.

“We’ve been told she’s there, most probably there, so we need to pick her up.

“She would like to come home for Christmas this year and what is left of her is purely some remains, some bones.

“They should find a place where the family can go and visit, where whoever’s interested in what happened to her should go and visit, and that’s the right thing to do.”

UK

UK to launch new ‘national day’ to remember victims and survivors of terrorism

Published

16 mins ago

November 24, 2025

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UK to launch new 'national day' to remember victims and survivors of terrorism

A new “national day” to honour victims and survivors of terrorism will be added to the calendar from next year, it has been revealed.

The annual commemoration will fall on 21 August, and will be marked in a different place each year to recognise the widespread impact of terrorism around the country.

It comes after a 12-week public consultation showed 91% supported the plan for a national day, and 84% strongly supported the proposal.

How the day will look, including a final name and symbol, will be worked out collaboratively between survivors and ministers, according to the Home Office.

But it will “honour and remember victims and survivors of terrorism”, encouraging survivors to access specialist support, spotlighting their stories, and educating the public.

A spokesperson for the Home Office confirmed that it would not be a bank holiday.

Jo Berry, whose father Sir Anthony Berry was killed in the IRA Brighton hotel bombing in 1984, said victims of terrorism would no longer be “a footnote of history”.

She said: “What we remember as a nation matters. It sends a signal about what we value.

“For too long, survivors of terror attacks, and those who have been killed in them, have been a footnote of history. Survivors have felt ignored and forgotten.

“That’s why Survivors Against Terror launched a campaign for a new national day of memorial three years ago.”

Travis Frain, who survived the Westminster Bridge attack in 2017, also backed the campaign.

He said: “A national day would provide an opportunity to remember those we have lost, to pay tribute to the bravery and resilience of those who have survived these heinous acts, and for us to look forward to the future to educate the next generation.”

The date was chosen to coincide with the UN International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.

Plans have also been announced for a new support hub to help victims in the aftermath of terror attacks.