The risk of an "obesity epidemic" is growing in Russia. What is known

In Russia, against the background of the rapid growth in the number of overweight people, they are increasingly talking about the risk of an "obesity epidemic." The problem has already become systemic, and its scale may increase significantly in the coming years. At the same time, the Ministry of Health is updating approaches to early detection of the disease, introducing more accurate diagnostic criteria, including an assessment of waist circumference. How the situation with obesity is developing in the country, why the incidence is increasing and what risks it carries — in the Izvestia article.

What is known about the risk of an obesity epidemic in Russia

The number of obese people in Russia continues to grow and may become an epidemic in the future. This was announced on March 21 by Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Gennady Onishchenko.

According to him, despite the fact that Russia is not yet among the countries with the highest proportion of obese people, the growth rate of this indicator remains one of the fastest. In this sense, the country is already among the leaders in terms of the spread of the problem.

Onishchenko also pointed out that being overweight is directly related to the development of serious diseases. In particular, obesity significantly increases the risk of diabetes. In addition, cardiovascular and oncological diseases are widespread among the population, which, according to his assessment, often accompany excess weight.

"Obesity is part of the metabolic syndrome. In fact, obesity becomes an accelerator for the development of other diseases: diabetes, cardiac pathologies, metabolic cirrhosis, and so on," gastroenterologist and nutritionist Nuria Dianova told Izvestia.

The topic of a possible "obesity epidemic" in Russia has been actively discussed in recent years at the level of the Ministry of Health and the expert community. According to experts, the situation is already systemic and may worsen in the coming decades. Doctors and scientists warn that if current trends continue, up to a third of the country's population may be obese in 10 years.

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"This is not an epidemic in our usual sense, as we usually talk about infectious diseases. Obesity is a chronic non—communicable disease, so the word "epidemic" does not accurately characterize it. But the rate at which the number of obese people is arriving, we can say that this is in some sense an epidemic," explained Natalia Balashova, PhD, endocrinologist, to Izvestia.

The Ministry of Health calls obesity one of the key threats to public health. The disease is considered not just as an aesthetic problem, but as a chronic metabolic disorder that affects life expectancy and demographic indicators.

"Obesity is compared to a delayed-action mine. In the future, it can dramatically worsen well—being and health," the endocrinologist added.

An additional concern is the steady increase in the incidence rate: in recent years, there has been an increase in both the total number of patients and primary diagnoses. In particular, the incidence rate has increased by more than 50% in five years, which indicates a systemic trend.

New parameters of the Ministry of Health: how is obesity diagnosed?

The diagnosis of abdominal obesity in men is made with a waist circumference of 94 cm or more — such criteria are contained in the guidelines for the medical examination of citizens of reproductive age, RIA Novosti reported. According to the agency, the document was approved by the Russian Ministry of Health in February 2026.

According to the recommendations, waist circumference is measured using a centimeter tape in a standing position, with calm breathing, at the navel level. A value of 94 cm in men is considered as a sign of abdominal obesity.

It is noted that overweight and obese patients are referred for in-depth preventive counseling, as well as being placed under medical supervision in Health Centers.

Why is the number of overweight people increasing?

The causes of the spread of obesity are complex and are primarily related to lifestyle and nutrition changes. We are talking about an imbalance between energy consumption and expenditure: high-calorie food is becoming more accessible, while the level of physical activity is decreasing.

The structure of the diet also has a significant impact — experts pay attention to the high proportion of sugar, simple carbohydrates and processed foods in the diet of Russians. Additionally, the situation is aggravated by a sedentary lifestyle and sedentary work, chronic stress, sleep disruptions, as well as the widespread availability of fast food and ready meals.

"Obesity is a multidisciplinary problem. Patients with this problem require the work of several specialists at once: an endocrinologist, a nutritionist, a psychologist and other doctors, depending on the concomitant diseases. For example, if there is a heart pathology, then a cardiologist will participate in the treatment of obesity," emphasizes Dianova.

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At the same time, experts note that the problem is rapidly "getting younger": overweight is increasingly being diagnosed in adolescents and children, which is largely due to the digitalization of leisure time and a decrease in physical activity.

Doctors note that obesity should not be considered as a separate problem, but as one of the key risk factors for developing serious diseases, since it triggers a chain of interrelated disorders in the body.

"An overweight person is significantly more likely to get diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, fatty hepatosis, and cirrhosis of the liver. Obesity also provokes the development of pathologies of the lymphatic system, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and other problems. But the most terrible consequence of advanced obesity is, of course, death, early death," warns Dianova.

According to experts, overweight also contributes to hypertension, as well as a number of oncological pathologies and diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Experts emphasize that excess weight is directly related to increased mortality and shorter life expectancy: it increases the likelihood of premature death and negatively affects the quality of life of patients.

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