Summary
A new Lancet study reveals nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults are overweight or obese, a sharp rise from just over half in 1990.
Obesity among adults doubled to over 40%, while rates among girls and women aged 15–24 nearly tripled to 29%.
The study highlights significant health risks, including diabetes, heart disease, and shortened life expectancy, alongside projected medical costs of up to $9.1 trillion over the next decade.
Experts stress obesity’s complex causes—genetic, environmental, and social—and call for structural reforms like food subsidies, taxes on sugary drinks, and expanded treatment access.
There are some issues with BMI, at least for individuals, but it’s pretty OK for populations.
By BMI alone it could be possible that they US now has 3/4 really successful body builders, but I imagine we’d have noticed
It’s also probably less bad for individuals than people make it out to be. People have a warped sense of what is a healthy weight nowadays and shooting the messenger is easier than looking into the message.