Science Stats Health & Medicine

Global obesity rates continue to climb

More than 640 million people now fat, BMI data suggest

obesity graph

GETTING BIGGER The percentage of obese people in the world has shot up in the past 40 years, more than tripling for men and more than doubling for women from 1975 to 2014. 

NCD-RisC/Lancet 2016

By Meghan Rosen

- More than 2 years ago

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Despite massive public health campaigns, the rise in worldwide obesity rates continues to hurtle along like a freight train on greased tracks.