An alarming international study shows that 94% of the Costa Rican population is going to be overweight by the year 2060 if we don’t make drastic changes. The figure is already high, at 58.6%.
Being overweight comes with so many health risks. It puts the person at higher risk for covid-19, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and triglycerides, thirteen types of cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and more.
Medical costs to address the population where 94% of people are overweight could reach $1.3 trillion plus another $441.500 million in disabilities. No middle-income country could handle this cost.
The international study that brought us these figures looked at 161 countries. It was published in the BMJ Global Health Magazine. It shows that Costa Rica would have the eighth highest level of obesity in the world by 2060.
Actions and policies that could be taken include making healthier foods more affordable, taxing unhealthy foods, and having graphic labels warning of excess fat, sugar, or harmful ingredients so consumers can make smarter purchases.
We should all aim for the triad of a balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, exercise, and stress control to be healthier. We should also try to increase our physical activity.
