The diagnosed prevalent cases of obesity and overweight combined in the seven major markets (7MM*) are projected to increase at an annual growth rate (AGR) of 0.54% from 276.9 million in 2021 to nearly 292.0 million in 2031, forecasts GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report, “Obesity and Obesity: Epidemiology Forecast to 2031,” estimates that in 2031 the US will have the highest number of diagnosed prevalent cases of obesity and overweight across the 7MM with nearly 146.3 million cases, whereas Spain will have the lowest number with approximately 15.6 million cases.

In the 5EU*, GlobalData estimates over 107.3 million diagnosed prevalent cases of obesity in 2031.

Zachary Natale, MPH, Senior Epidemiologist at GlobalData, says: “Proximally, obesity’s drivers are the products of individual behavior. However, these behaviors are enacted in against a backdrop of food systems and industries that facilitate them. The complex interaction between the individual and the environmental necessitates a similarly nuanced mitigation effort.”

Despite numerous policy interventions to curb obesity’s prevalence, the condition continues to rise across the 7MM. As a result, concerns over the obesity epidemic is gaining momentum. This creates opportunities for stakeholders from multiple sectors to collaborate in the fight against obesity.

Natale concludes: “Public health authorities should establish or maintain obesity surveillance through regular anthropometric surveys, especially among the children and adolescents. Furthermore, health professionals’ collaboration with communities through education and advocacy can effect change in local policies, such as the establishment of more recreational areas or the introduction of healthier food choices in schools.”

*7MM: The US, 5EU (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK) and Japan