Three-Quarters of U.S. Adults Are Now Overweight or Obese
www.nytimes.com
A sweeping new paper reveals the dramatic rise of obesity rates nationwide since 1990.

Summary

A new Lancet study reveals nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults are overweight or obese, a sharp rise from just over half in 1990.

Obesity among adults doubled to over 40%, while rates among girls and women aged 15–24 nearly tripled to 29%.

The study highlights significant health risks, including diabetes, heart disease, and shortened life expectancy, alongside projected medical costs of up to $9.1 trillion over the next decade.

Experts stress obesity’s complex causes—genetic, environmental, and social—and call for structural reforms like food subsidies, taxes on sugary drinks, and expanded treatment access.

Non-paywall link

  • @suigenerix
    1•1 month ago

    Yes, calories-wise it’s the same, but it’s far worse biologically in the US where the sweetener is predominantly high fructose corn syrup. Not all sugars have the same effect.

    Fructose has to be porridge processed through the liver and causes much higher incidence of non-fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, uric acid causing gout, etc. leading to higher rates of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. When someone is ill from these sorts of diseases, they’re less likely to exercise or move around, and will tend to want to eat more convenient comfort foods, which only amplifies the obesity issue.

    Many of the countries that consume the least amount of fructose per capita are in Europe (Germany, Poland, Greece, Portugal, Finland, etc.)

    • @[email protected]English
      1•1 month ago

      The article is about obesity, which CICO is the chief, immediate topic of significance. Long term organ damage from different sugar sources is a good topic, but not proximal to obesity in the near term.

      Eat too many calories, get bigger. Easy to do when the grocery is packed with junk, but good food is available (and affordable) in both places.

      Discussion on food deserts and time-to-prepare are also critical, but again I think present in both continents.

      • @suigenerix
        1•1 month ago

        Yes, I covered that. For example, people who are ill tend to exercise and move less. So calories-out (CO) goes down = people get fatter.

        So it’s definitely directly relevant.