Obesity around the world: what to know

Rates and body-size patterns differ between communities because access to nourishing food, safe movement, sleep, work demands, medicines and healthcare differs. Family biology and early-life influences also affect appetite, energy use and where the body stores fat. A population trend cannot predict one person's health or explain why an individual has gained weight.

Body mass index can help describe weight in relation to height, but it does not measure muscle, waist fat, fitness or the full effect of health conditions. Extra body fat can raise the chance of hypertension, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, acid reflux, gallstones, gout and obstructive sleep apnoea. These conditions are not inevitable, and weight alone cannot diagnose them.

Focus on health measures that can be acted on: waist measurement, blood pressure, blood sugar, sleep quality, mobility and eating patterns. Choose changes that fit your culture and routine, such as regular meals, more fibre-rich foods, water instead of sweetened drinks, and movement that feels sustainable. A clinician can review medicines, thyroid or hormonal concerns, sleep, mood and eating patterns before suggesting a plan.

Support may include a dietitian, structured lifestyle programme, medication or metabolic treatment when clinically appropriate. The aim is better health and function, with progress reviewed over time rather than judged by a single measurement.

Arrange a routine appointment if weight is rising steadily, daily activities are becoming harder, or you have loud snoring, daytime sleepiness, thirst, frequent urination, joint pain or persistent heartburn. Seek urgent help for severe breathlessness, chest pressure, fainting, sudden weakness or confusion.

Ask which measurements should be checked, whether sleep or medicines may be affecting your weight, and what first goal would improve your health. Ask how progress will be monitored and which support is available if your initial plan is difficult to maintain.