In 2022 Russia saw a notable rise in obesity and related endocrine conditions, according to Rosstat and cited by RBC. The year added more than 419,000 newly identified obesity cases, marking a continuation of growing trends in metabolic health. This increase follows counts of 372,000 in 2020 and 383,000 in 2021, underscoring a multi-year expansion in obesity diagnoses across the population.
Healthcare projections for 2022 also anticipated broad activity in endocrine and metabolic disorders. Doctors expected to diagnose about 13.05 million people with diseases of the endocrine system, eating disorders, and metabolic disturbances, compared with around 12.07 million two years earlier. Within this spectrum, diabetes represented 5.27 million diagnoses, and obesity accounted for 2.17 million cases, indicating the substantial weight of obesity within national health concerns.
Among younger demographics, Rosstat data show obesity diagnoses in 2022 affected 108,000 children under 14, while adolescents aged 15 to 18 recorded more than 40,000 obesity cases. These figures illustrate the early emergence of weight-related health issues and the importance of targeted prevention and early intervention in youth health programs.
Rosstat’s period data also highlight a striking rise in participation in organized sports across the population. The registry notes a sharp expansion in people taking part in sports through various departments and clubs, rising from 43.5 million in 2015 to nearly 70 million in 2022. This uptick reflects increased public health efforts to promote physical activity as a countermeasure to obesity and metabolic disorders, alongside broader societal shifts toward active lifestyles.
In conversations about national health, Natalya Mokrysheva, director of the State Research Center of the Ministry of Health, the National Medical Research Center of Endocrinology, has pointed out that a significant portion of the population faces weight-related challenges. The current estimates indicate about 10 percent experience severe obesity, with more than 30 percent falling into overweight or obese categories. These proportions signal an urgent need for effective prevention, early detection, and treatment strategies within the healthcare system.
Experts also recognize a complex relationship between mental health and obesity. The dialogue around depression and weight demonstrates how emotional well-being can influence eating patterns, physical activity, and overall health outcomes, creating a cyclical pattern that healthcare providers aim to address through integrated care and community support.