A major international study suggests that obesity rates may finally be leveling off in many wealthy countries, while continuing to climb sharply across much of the developing world.

The research, published in Nature by the Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), analyzed health data from 232 million people aged five and older collected over 45 years.

Scientists found that obesity trends have slowed or even slightly declined in several high-income regions, including Western Europe, North America, Australasia, and parts of Asia, especially among children and teenagers.

In contrast, low- and middle-income countries are experiencing a rapid increase in obesity, particularly among children and adolescents in parts of Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Pacific Island nations.

Researchers emphasized that obesity is not simply a weight issue but a major health condition linked to heart, liver, kidney, respiratory, and musculoskeletal diseases. The risks associated with obesity also became more visible during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people with obesity faced higher rates of severe illness and hospitalization.

The study suggests that improved access to healthier food, public awareness, and healthcare policies may have helped wealthier nations slow obesity growth. Meanwhile, rapid urbanization, sedentary lifestyles, and increasing dependence on processed foods are contributing to rising obesity levels in developing countries.

Scientists concluded that the global obesity crisis is evolving differently across regions, meaning countries will need tailored public health strategies rather than a single universal approach.