A new study in The Lancet estimates the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States while also forecasting the trends for America’s long-term future. Researchers found that by 2050, the total number of children and adolescents with overweight and obesity will reach 43.1 million (37.2–47.4), and the total number of adults with overweight and obesity will reach 213 million (202–221). That means a projected 1 in 3 adolescents and 2 in 3 adults will have obesity in 2050, approximately 1 generation from now. Projections are based on national data demonstrating that the prevalence among Americans in 2021 was estimated at 15.1 million children and young adolescents (aged 5–14 years), 21.4 million older adolescents (aged 15–24 years), and 172 million adults (aged 25 years and older).
Cost analysis: The United States has one of the largest populations of people with overweight and obesity on the planet, and the direct healthcare costs attributed to obesity is estimated between $261 billion and $481 billion, according to the authors.