The Obesity Epidemic: New levels of horror: Shocking data for 2024
According to a report by the Global Obesity Observatory published in June 2024, 2.7 billion adults and children in the world are now overweight or obese. Of these, 950 million people are obese, a 40% increase over the past decade. The rate is increasing fastest in South Asia: in India, the obesity rate has increased from 18% to 29% in the last five years, and in Bangladesh, the rate is 33% among urban women.
Shocking statistics:
In Mexico City, 70% of primary school students have a BMI above normal.
In Canada's indigenous communities, the obesity rate is twice the national average.
In Japan, where obesity was once rare, 25% of 30-40-year-olds are now obese.
The five invisible enemies of obesity: Not just food, but society too
1. "Delivery Culture": A flood of junk food at home
After the revolution of apps like Uber Eats and Foodpanda, people are ordering unhealthy food through home delivery four times a week on average. Research by the London School of Economics says that 80% of delivered food is high in fat, salt, and sugar. A survey in Dhaka, Bangladesh found that 65% of young people order fried chicken or burgers on weekends.
2. "Screen Diet": Foods that go viral on TikTok
Social media "food influencers" are sharing mega-calorie recipes like caramel cheese fries or crispy chicken towers every day. According to researchers at the University of California, 57% of TikTok users buy unhealthy foods after seeing such content.
3. "Urban Trap": The City's Food Desert
In areas like Harlem in New York or Kawran Bazaar in Dhaka, there are 10 times more fast food outlets than fresh vegetable shops. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 60% of households in low-income urban areas are forced to buy cheap processed foods.
4. "Stress Eating": A Toxic Way to Feel Better
Harvard Medical School psychologist Dr. Annie Roberts comments: "70% of people turn to comfort food during times of workplace stress, relationship strain, or financial uncertainty." In Bangladesh, 35% of people admitted that they are more hungry or stress-eating than before in the post-COVID-19 period.
5. "Genetic Trap": The Risk of Being Congenitally Obese
A specific trait of the FTO gene increases the chance of being obese by 50%. However, research by the Singapore Genome Institute suggests that the effect of this gene can be reduced by 80% with physical activity and a conscious diet.
Health risks: The organs that obesity is destroying
Heart: Obese people have a 3-fold higher risk of heart attack.
Liver: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now being diagnosed in children as young as 12.
Brain: Obesity increases the risk of Alzheimer's by 60%, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Fertility: Obese women are four times more likely to have PCOS and men to have low sperm counts.
Pressure on the economy:
Obesity-related medical costs in the United States are $350 billion a year.
In Bangladesh, diabetes treatment costs Tk 12,000 crore a year, which is 20% of the health budget.
Successful battles around the world: Game-changing solutions from 3 countries
1. Brazil's "Family Farming" Policy
The government is encouraging local farmers to grow nutritious vegetables by subsidizing them. Children in school are eating their vegetables—as a result, obesity has decreased by 22%.
2. Finland's "Sugar Tax" Model
A 20% additional tax on sugary products has reduced sugar consumption by 30%. Tax revenue has been used to launch free Eurobic classes in cities.
3. Vietnam's "School Garden"
A mandatory vegetable garden has been created in every school. Students grow their vegetables and learn to cook—as a result, the attraction to junk food has decreased by 40%.
Bangladesh's Potential: Local Innovative Steps
1. Mosque-Based Health Campaign: Imams are highlighting the importance of nutritious food in Friday sermons.
2. Rickshaw Fitness Van: Mobile gym vans in Dhaka are giving rickshaw drivers free exercise.
3. Technology in agricultural marketing: Organic vegetables produced by rural women are being delivered directly to urban buyers through the "Farmers App".
What you can do: Start today
1. "20-20-20 Rule": Walk for 20 seconds after every 20 minutes of desk work, and do 20 breathing exercises.
2. "Rainbow Plate": Add at least 3 colors of vegetables (green, red, white) to each meal.
3. "Digital Detox": Stop looking at your phone's "food content" after 9 pm—a study says it reduces unhealthy late-night snacking by 50%.
Future threats: Climate change and obesity
Global warming is reducing crop yields, and increasing reliance on processed foods. UN forecast: Obesity rates in South Asia will exceed 70% by 2050, pushing towards food wars.
The final message: For a sustainable future
Obesity is not a “lifestyle choice”—it is the product of systemic inequality, greedy marketing, and unplanned urbanization. Governments need to crack down on the junk food industry, make nutrition education mandatory in schools, and every citizen needs to take responsibility. Remember, “Reducing obesity is not just about losing weight—it saves lives.”
References: Global Obesity Observatory 2024, WHO update report, Bangladesh Ministry of Health statistics, and international research journals.
