A staggering 46.4 crore adolescents worldwide are projected to be overweight or obese by 2030.
According to a new analysis from the Lancet Commission, this marks an alarming increase of 14.3 crore from 2015, highlighting the urgent need for global intervention to combat this growing health crisis.
The findings, based on data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease study, emphasise that adolescent health is approaching a critical juncture. Despite some progress in areas such as reduced tobacco and alcohol use and improved educational access, the rise in obesity and mental health disorders paints a worrying picture.
In high-income regions including Latin America and the Middle East, the situation appears particularly dire, with one in three adolescents expected to be overweight by 2030. The Commission notes that some countries in Africa and Asia have seen obesity rates among adolescents increase up to eight times in the past three decades.
Beyond physical health, mental well-being is also under significant threat.
The report estimates that in 2030, 4.2 crore years of healthy life will be lost due to mental health disorders and suicide — two million more than in 2015. These trends reflect a sharp rise in mental health challenges faced by today’s youth.
“The health and well-being of adolescents worldwide is at a tipping point, with mixed progress observed over the past three decades,” said Professor Sarah Baird, co-chair of the Commission and a professor at George Washington University.
“While tobacco and alcohol use has declined and participation in secondary and tertiary education has increased, overweight and obesity have risen by up to eight-fold in some countries in Africa and Asia over the past three decades, and there is a growing burden of poor adolescent mental health globally,” she added.
The Commission also points to newer threats impacting adolescents, including the effects of climate change and an increasingly digital lifestyle. It warns that today’s adolescents will be the first generation to live their entire lives in a world where the average annual global temperature remains at least 0.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
By the year 2100, nearly 1.9 billion adolescents will face life in a world forecasted to warm by approximately 2.8°C, exposing them to health risks such as heat-related illnesses, food and water scarcity, and a surge in climate-induced mental health issues.
The report concludes with a clear message: unless there is strong political will, targeted policy action, and dedicated financial investment, more than 1 billion adolescents will continue to live in countries plagued by preventable health burdens in 2030.
Professor Baird urged, “Investing in the health and well-being of young people” is essential to secure a “collective future.”