Obesity spread in adult and development age: Economic, social and environmental impacts

In this paper, after analysing the extensive literature on the subject, there were highlighted the socio-economic causes that drive consumers to follow wrong eating patterns. The high rates of overweight and obesity in recent decades cannot simply be explained by genetic predisposition; although it plays a key role in the development of human’s overweight or obesity. Moreover, through the analysis of secondary data, we analysed the spread of obesity and overweight, both in OECD and non-OECD countries, with a focus on the teenage and pre-teen age, in order to understand also the future prospects. In light of the importance that this issue is taking globally, we tried to highlight the most significant economic, social and environmental impacts that can be associated with obesity and overweight. This requires intervention strategies both to policy makers and food industry that should put in place behaviours more oriented towards social responsibility, but also more conscious food consumption from the citizens. The basic intent of this paper is to analyse how a poor state of health, because of unconscious behaviour, can impact on economic, social and environmental development and the individual and collective well-being of the countries. The topic of overweight and obesity, in fact, not only is one of the main concepts of the theoretical and empirical classifications on health, but finds more and more space in the reflection on the concept of sustainable development.