The key facts

  • The highest obesity rate is in the Jewish Autonomous Region (more than 30%), the lowest in Chukotka (6.6%).
  • The share of schoolchildren who are overweight or obese is about 10%; the figure has been stabilized.
  • By 2050, more than 70% of Russia's residents may face excess weight and obesity.

The gap between regions exceeds fivefold

The highest obesity rate among Russian adults has been recorded in the Jewish Autonomous Region, where the condition was detected in more than 30% of residents. This was announced by TASS, citing Dmitry Nikityuk, director of the Federal Research Center for Nutrition and Biotechnology. The lowest rate is in the Chukotka Autonomous Area, at 6.6%. Thus, the gap between regions exceeds fivefold, underscoring the uneven distribution of the problem across the country.

Children, adult trends and forecast

According to Nikityuk, the share of school-age children in Russia who are overweight or have dietary obesity is about 10%; he noted that this figure has been stabilized thanks to the organization of hot meals in schools and oversight by Rospotrebnadzor and parents. As for adults, the number of Russians with obesity has decreased in recent years, but the number of people who are overweight continues to grow, with men gaining weight faster than women. According to the cited forecast, by 2050 more than 70% of Russia's residents may face the problem of excess weight and obesity — more than 70% of Russia's population.

Context

Earlier, as Gazeta.Ru notes, a surgeon spoke about whether 'weight loss' drugs can solve the obesity problem. The content of this position is not disclosed in the available materials, so the arguments presented there cannot be assessed from these publications.