World Obesity Atlas 2026 was released by the World Obesity Federation on World Obesity Day

World Obesity Atlas 2026 was released by the World Obesity Federation on World Obesity Day

World Obesity Atlas 2026 was released by the World Obesity Federation on World Obesity Day (March 4). It presents worrying statistics for India, highlighting an emerging public health emergency. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity is a condition characterized by abnormal or excessive accumulation of body fat, posing a health risk. A body mass index (BMI) score of 25 or higher is classified as overweight, and a score of 30 or higher is considered obese.

Key Findings

Prevalence of Obesity

¨     Global perspective: More than 10 million children are obese in China, India, and the United States—three countries. China leads the way (62 million people with a high body mass index (BMI), of which 33 million are obese), followed by India and the United States (27 million people with a high BMI, of which 13 million are obese). Among women aged 15–49, 13.4% have a high BMI, and 4.2% of women suffer from type 2 diabetes.

¨     Globally, more than 200 million school-age children aged 5 to 19 who are overweight or obese are concentrated in just 10 countries.

¨     India: In India, approximately 15 million children aged 5 to 9 and more than 26 million children aged 10 to 19 were overweight or obese in 2025. Thus, India ranks second in the world in the number of children with high BMI (approximately 41 million). Between 2025 and 2040, India is projected to see a significant increase in the number of children aged 5 to 19 years with high BMI-related disease indicators.

¨     Health Outcomes (2025–2040): BMI-related hypertension cases are projected to increase from 2.99 million to 4.21 million. Similarly, hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) cases are projected to increase from 1.39 million to 1.91 million, high triglycerides from 4.39 million to 6.07 million, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) cases are projected to increase from 8.39 million to 11.88 million.

¨     Preventable risk factors: Key contributing factors include 74% of adolescents aged 11–17 years not meeting recommended physical activity levels, only 35.5% of children receiving school meals, inadequate breastfeeding among 32.6% of infants aged 1–5 months, and consumption of approximately 50 ml of sugary drinks per day by children aged 6–10 years.

¨     Global trends and warnings: The 2025 target of halving the global childhood obesity rate has not been achieved, and has now been extended to 2030.

¨     Currently, 20.7% of children aged 5–19 years worldwide are overweight or obese, up from 14.6% in 2010. It is estimated that 507 million children will be affected by this by the year 2040, and more than 57 million children may show early signs of cardiovascular disease.

Policy Recommendations

¨     The report calls for immediate intervention from governments. It recommends policy initiatives such as taxing sugary beverages, banning targeted marketing (including on digital platforms), implementing global physical activity standards, promoting breastfeeding, improving school meal standards, and integrating prevention and treatment measures into the primary health care system.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

¨     Body Mass Index (BMI) is a screening tool used to estimate body fat based on height and weight. It helps classify individuals into different weight categories.

¨     Calculation method: BMI is calculated using the formula: BMI = weight (kilograms) ÷ [height (meters)]².

BMI Classification (WHO Standards)

¨     Adult BMI: Standard categories for adults aged 20 years and older are underweight (<18.5), healthy/normal weight (18.5–24.9), overweight (25.0–29.9), and obese (≥30.0).

¨     Obesity is further divided into three classes: Class I (30.0–34.9), Class II (35.0–39.9), and Class III (≥40.0), which represent a very high health risk.

¨     Children and adolescents: BMI in children and adolescents under 20 years of age is interpreted based on age- and sex-specific percentiles.

¨     The categories are underweight (<5th percentile), healthy weight (5th to <85th percentile), overweight (85th to <95th percentile), obesity (≥95th percentile), and severe obesity (≥120% of the 95th percentile or BMI ≥35).

¨     Health implications and uses: BMI categories are associated with health risks. A high BMI increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and other metabolic disorders.

¨ However, health experts recommend using waist circumference measurement, body composition analysis, and other medical tests along with BMI for overall health assessment.