More than half of the world's population will be classified as obese or overweight by 2035 if measures are not taken to prevent this, according to the World Federation of the Obese.
More than four billion people will face this problem, and the biggest jump in the number of obese people is visible in children, according to the report.
A large increase in the proportion of obese people is also expected in low- and middle-income countries in Africa and Asia.
The authors of the report predict that the total annual cost caused by obesity globally will exceed four trillion dollars by 2035.
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The research results are a clear warning to countries to take action now or risk feeling the consequences in the future, said Professor Louise Baur, president of the federation.
The researchers highlighted the rising rates of obesity among children and teenagers, and expect the numbers to double for both boys and girls compared to 2020.
The trend is "particularly worrying", and "governments and legislative authorities of countries around the world must do everything they can to avoid the health, social and economic costs that will be borne by the younger generation", says Professor Baur.
It will do this by changing the "systems and root problems" that contribute to obesity, he adds.
The effects of obesity prevalence in lower income countries is also one of the problems pointed out in the report.
Nine out of ten countries, which are expected to face the highest growth rate of obesity in the world, are low- or middle-income countries in Africa and Asia.
The reasons for this are trends in the way of eating, which imply the consumption of highly processed food, a significant lack of activity, insufficiently strict rules for controlling advertising and food production, and poorer equipment of health systems in obesity control and education.
Lower-income countries are "often the least able to respond to the challenges of obesity and the consequences" of the disease, it added.
The rise in obesity rates worldwide is expected to have a major impact on the economy, amounting to three percent of global gross domestic product (GDP).
It is also emphasized that the economic impact of obesity "should in no way be a reason for imposing guilt on people living with obesity".
The report's data will be presented at the United Nations on Monday, March 6.
Obesity is a medical term used to describe people with a large amount of excess fat in the body.
In the report, the body mass index (BMI) is used for assessment, and it is calculated by dividing an adult's weight by his height.
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