The number of Costa Rican girls that are battling obesity is growing at an alarming rate a situation that is affecting practically every country in the world, a condition that is now considered a pandemic.

A report by the Center for Non-Communicable Diseases and the World Health Organization (WHO) which analyzed 2,416 studies carried out from 1975 through 2016 that measured weight and height of 31.5 million people between the ages of 5 and 19 in 200 countries, showed that in the past 40 years the number of girls suffering from obesity in the world went from 5 million to 50 million, while in boys this number went from 6 million to 74 million. These numbers don’t take into consideration the 213 million children and teens that had overweight in 2016.

Costa Rica takes position 30 among the countries with the highest growth in female childhood obesity in the world, while in the case of male childhood obesity it takes position 51 of 200 countries analyzed.

In the country, the prevalence of obesity reached 26.8% for boys and 23.6% for girls.

The World Obesity Federation estimates that by 2025 expenses to treat obesity-related illnesses will require 1.2 trillion dollars a year.

“Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. The problem is global and is steadily affecting many low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings. The prevalence has increased at an alarming rate. Globally, in 2016 the number of overweight children under the age of five, is estimated to be over 41 million. Almost half of all overweight children under 5 lived in Asia and one quarter lived in Africa.

Overweight and obese children are likely to stay obese into adulthood and more likely to develop noncommunicable diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a younger age. Overweight and obesity, as well as their related diseases, are largely preventable. Prevention of childhood obesity, therefore, needs high priority”, states the World Health Organization.

Countries at the top of the list in prevalence and increase in childhood obesity include islands of the South Pacific such as Nauru, Palau and Tonga. The United States holds position 17 in childhood obesity for both girls and boys.