Trends of Obesity in Early Adulthood and Later Adulthood Across 196 Countries and Territories, 1990-2022

We aimed to understand the global burden of obesity in early adulthood and later adulthood over the past three decades.

We analyzed obesity prevalence across 196 countries/territories from 1990 to 2022 for early adulthood (age 20-49 years) and later adulthood (age ≥ 50 years) using the Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Collaboration dataset. We calculated the magnitude of change between baseline (1990-1994) and endline (2018-2022) periods and estimated the average annual percent change using segmented regression.

Globally, the magnitude of prevalence increase was higher for obesity in later adulthood than in early adulthood in 134 countries/territories. However, obesity prevalence increased faster in early adulthood than in later adulthood in 168 countries/territories. Women and countries/territories with higher income and baseline obesity prevalence had larger increases in prevalence magnitude, whereas the rate of increase was more rapid in men and countries/territories with lower income and baseline prevalence.

Our findings support prevention strategies to slow the rate of increase in early adulthood obesity prevalence alongside nationwide measures to combat obesity at all ages. Further research is needed to understand age-specific factors promoting obesity in early and later adulthood.