Over 460 Million Adolescents Globally Could Be Obese by 2030, Face Rising Health and Mental Challenges: Lancet

New Delhi: Adolescent health is approaching a critical juncture, with over 460 million adolescents worldwide projected to be overweight or obese by 2030, according to a new report released by The Lancet Commission on Wednesday.

This second global analysis on adolescent health and well-being since 2016 reveals that by 2030, nearly one-third of adolescents in high-income nations across Latin America and the Middle East are expected to be overweight, highlighting significant gaps in tackling the growing obesity crisis among young people.

The findings, drawn from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease Study, estimate that by 2030, 464 million adolescents globally will be overweight or obese — an increase of 143 million from 2015.

In addition, more than 1 billion adolescents aged 10–24 will continue to live in countries where preventable and treatable health issues — such as HIV/AIDS, early pregnancy, unsafe sex, malnutrition, depression, and injuries — remain a serious threat to their overall well-being.

Alarmingly, the analysis also predicts that in 2030, the world will lose 42 million years of healthy life to mental disorders and suicide — a rise of 2 million years compared to 2015.

“Adolescent health and well-being globally is at a tipping point,” said Professor Sarah Baird, co-chair of the Commission from George Washington University, USA.
“While we've made progress in reducing tobacco and alcohol use and improving access to education, the rise in adolescent obesity and mental health challenges—especially in Asia and Africa—is deeply concerning.”

The Commission also points to emerging threats that are intensifying the health burden on adolescents, including climate change and an increasingly digital world.

Today’s adolescents are the first generation to live their entire lives with an average global temperature consistently 0.5°C above pre-industrial levels. By the year 2100, an estimated 1.9 billion adolescents will inhabit a world potentially warmed by 2.8°C, exposing them to a cascade of health risks such as heat-related illnesses, declining food and water quality, and mental health disorders linked to climate anxiety and extreme weather events.

The report cautions that without strong political commitment, targeted policy action, and increased financial investment, over 1 billion adolescents will remain in so-called “multi-burden” countries — those grappling simultaneously with infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, and injury-related challenges.

Baird emphasized the urgency of the situation:

“We must scale up investments in the health and well-being of young people — not only to safeguard their future, but to secure our collective global future.”

With inputs from IANS