We've all heard about the obesity epidemic, but it can be hard to quantify its extent. So, how's this: The amount of extra weight carried by the world's population is equivalent to 140 billion tonnes (154 billion US tons) of wasted food. The number comes from a 2019 study conducted by researchers in Italy who wanted to see how excess weight compares with the amount of food that is thrown out or lost. It turns out that it's like comparing watermelons to grapes. Direct food waste is estimated at 1.3 billion tonnes (1.4 billion US tons), or less than 1 percent of the extra girth of the world's collective waistband. What's worse, according to the researchers, is that some of the foods that are contributing significantly to the world's obesity problem, including meat and dairy, are typically calorie-dense, so their production requires a lot of land and water. They also generate more greenhouse gases than vegetables, fruits and tubers, which are the most common sources of food wastage. For the record, the research team considered a body mass index over 21.7 -- typically considered the healthy midpoint -- as excess body weight.
Some hefty numbers:
- As of 2016, more than 1.9 billion people are overweight and 650 million are obese, according to standardized figures.
- Since 1975, the rate of obesity around the world has nearly tripled.
- As of 2018, 40 million children under the age of 5 are either obese or overweight.