EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Experts estimate that 256 million Americans will be overnight or obese by 2050 if current trends and patterns continue, according to a study conducted by The Lancet. The study, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, looked at obesity statistics from 1990 to 2021 on a national level. The authors warn that, without major reform, the associated burden of obesity on individuals and the nation's economy will be devastating. The numbers are not surprising for Dr. Marcoandrea Giorgi, a bariatric surgeon with Brown Surgical Associates. Giorgi agrees that it's a health crisis that needs a 360-degree approach — not just with individual health changes, but societal ones. "Sometimes we think of fixing a problem instead of why the problem came to be," he said.  "From a society standpoint, it's tough because if someone has to decide between making a living and working more, or cooking, than the choice is easy." The study found the prevalence of obesity has outpaced the increase in overweight over time, especially among adolescents. Texas, Mississippi and North Dakota had the highest levels of obesity, according to the study. The authors are calling for legislative amendments to promote access to healthy foods, social welfare interventions and improved regulation of the food, agricultural and marketing sectors. "The problem isn't just about the weight," Giorgi said. "The problem is what the weight does to your body over time." "If things keep going a certain way, we're going to be in a situation where we have to manage all these consequences of obesity in medical terms — diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol — those things will be medical crises for some of these families and patients because comorbities and their consequences are very dire." The study found that comorbidity complications have increased in prevalence by more than 140% in the past 30 years and have become one of the leading causes of health-care spending. The authors were particularly concerned that nearly 20% of children ages 2 to 19 lived with obesity. This has led to an increase in cardiovascular disease risk factors, like hypertension, among Americans and has nearly doubled the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes over the last two decades. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup SIGN UP NOW