The 5 Year Projections On Obesity Are Way Worse Than Originally Thought

A new report by The Lancet found obesity numbers have jumped significantly since 2015, by nearly 150 million people! But it's about to get a lot worse. There's currently 143 million teens living in western cultures that are obese. Obesity has been one of the leading factors in declining birth rates among people in their 20s so these teens are going to have a difficult time continuing our specieses. But it's even worse as obesity is quickly rising in the list of cause of death amongst people under 25. It's currently considered 5th behind unintentional injuries, suicide, homicide and cancer.

But looking at the current data and trends they project teens with obesity to rise from 143 million today to 464 million by 2030. In just 5 years it will more than double!

The study's authors warn this is a tipping point in the health of young people. “Governments must act urgently to create healthier food and health systems and prioritise adolescent wellbeing in national health strategies.”

Special School Helps Teen Combat Childhood Obesity — REEDLEY, CA - OCTOBER 19: Seventeen year-old Marissa Hamilton (L) talks with her friend Elizabeth Fedorchalk after a morning walk at Wellspring Academy October 19, 2009 in Reedley, California. Struggling with her weight, seventeen year-old Marissa Hamilton enrolled at the Wellspring Academy, a special school that helps teens and college level students lose weight along with academic courses. When Marissa first started her semester at Wellspring she weighed in at 340 pounds and has since dropped over 40 pounds of weight in the first two months of the program. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 percent of children in the US ages 6-19 years are overweight or obese, three times the amount since 1980. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Photo: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images News / Getty Images