Child and teenage obesity levels have risen ten-fold in the last four decades, meaning 124m boys and girls around the globe are too fat, according to new research. The analysis in the Lancet is the largest of its kind and looks at obesity trends in over 200 countries.
Obese children are likely to become obese adults, putting them at risk of serious health problems, say experts.
These include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer, such as breast and colon.
The Lancet analysis, released on World Obesity Day, comes as researchers from the World Obesity Federation warn that the global cost of treating ill health caused by obesity will exceed £920bn every year from 2025.
- Source: BBC News
