Global cost of obesity-related illness to hit $1.2tn a year from 2025

Health bill will be 'enormous burden' without more preventative measures to check worsening epidemic, say experts

The cost of treating ill health caused by obesity around the world will top $1.2tn every year from 2025 unless more is done to check the rapidly worsening epidemic, according to new expert estimates.

Obesity and smoking are the two main drivers behind the soaring numbers of cancers, heart attacks, strokes and diabetes worldwide, grouped together officially as non-communicable diseases. They are the biggest killers of the modern world.