Alarming Study Claims Half of All Americans Will Be Obese by 2050

If you think Americans are becoming unhealthier, a new report says you are absolutely correct.

A new study says the obesity epidemic is about to reach a new turning point and health officials are sounding the alarm. Recent data says 172 million Americans are currently classified as obese or overweight, and that number is expected to skyrocket.

After studies found that medications like Ozempic could break junk food addiction and help Americans return to healthier weight levels, the New York Times reports the junk food industry is now creating foods that will trigger cravings even for people on GLP-1 weight loss drugs.

What does that mean for the rest of America?

A new study by The Lancet says Americans will get fatter. In fact, their findings suggest that half of the country will be overweight or obese within the next 25 years. The report also says a third of children will also reach unhealthy weight levels by 2050.

Currently, more than half of adults who are overweight live in seven other countries besides ours: China, India, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Indonesia and Egypt. China has the largest population of overweight and obese adults, which could grow to 627 million over the next 25 years.

Since 1990, the report found obesity rates skyrocketed in men by 155.1% and by 104.9% in women worldwide.

In New York alone, obesity rates jumped from 16% in 1997 to 30.1% in 2022. Currently, 64% of New York adults classify as overweight or obese, says the state Department of Health.

By 2050, the study estimates 57.4% of men and 60.3% of women worldwide would be overweight or obese. Estimates say that by then, America will be home to 214 million overweight or obese persons.

The report, authored by University of Washington Professor Emmanuela Gakidou of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and Dr. Jessica Kerr of the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Australia, said:

No country to date has successfully curbed the rising rates of adult overweight and obesity. Without immediate and effective intervention, overweight and obesity will continue to increase globally.

Experts warn that if the trends don't change, the impact on health and economies will be massive. Among the highest concerns are obesity-related diseases, shortened lifespans, and pressure on the world's healthcare systems.

The study ruled obesity "is one of the foremost avertible risks to health" and that an aggressive approach is needed to reverse this growing trend. If these goals aren't met, the study warns it will lead to a "profound tragedy" and a "monumental societal failure."

Interesting how this study came out around the same time reports surfaced that the junk food industry is working to make their foods even more addictive.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was newly appointed to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has long been a skeptic of the junk food industry and has vowed to take on Big Food.

Meanwhile, here's my own food for thought: it costs a lot less to buy junk food than fresh fruits and vegetables at the grocery store. I should know because I am on an anti-inflammatory diet and, let me tell you, my grocery bills have skyrocketed.

When a family can enjoy a cheaper meal eating Kraft macaroni and cheese versus chicken breast with zucchini and summer squash, especially during a time of high inflation and stagnating wages, are people at all surprised that more Americans are struggling with their weight?

Affording healthy food is quickly becoming a privilege and a luxury, which is insane to write in our year 2025.

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