Teen health at ‘tipping point’ as 464 million youth at risk of obesity by 2030, report warns

Almost half a billion teenagers around the world will be overweight or obese by 2030, experts predicted, as they warned that adolescent health was at a “tipping point”.

In a major new review of the health and well-being of adolescents, experts said some main drivers of ill-health among teenagers have switched from cigarettes and alcohol to weight gain and mental health problems.

They warned that mental health among teenagers had seen a “significant decline” over the past three decades, which was exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis.

And they projected that 464 million teenagers around the world will be overweight or obese by 2030 – 143 million more than in 2015.

But the Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing pointed out: “In terms of health risks, substance use [specifically tobacco and alcohol] has declined in every region.”

The experts on the commission said action is needed to tackle threats to adolescents’ health and well-being.