Economic Impacts Of Obesity: Health, Social And Industry Perspectives

Obesity has emerged as a major health and socio-economic issue in modern society, with profound and far-reaching consequences that extend well beyond individual health problems. According to the World Health Organization, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is steadily rising across nearly all regions of the world, posing significant challenges to health systems, economies, and societies at large. This paper examines the effects of climate and weather conditions on obesity, the associated health consequences, and the economic implications of overweight and obesity. It also considers body image perception, societal attitudes towards obesity, and techniques for designing and modelling clothing for larger sizes. Obesity is not just a health issue but also a complex social and economic challenge that requires a multidisciplinary approach and coordinated efforts at various levels. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the various aspects of obesity to better understand and address this growing problem. Although this paper analyses key climate and social factors contributing to obesity rates, opportunities for a more detailed analysis of local specifics in Croatia remain open. The work primarily relies on global data and projections, providing a useful comparison for future research.