Unless strong action is taken to reverse the trend, one in five adults and one in ten children and adolescents in ten African countries heavily affected by obesity are expected to be obese by December 2023, the regional office said on Thursday. of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Africa.
In a statement, the WHO Regional Office for Africa, citing its latest analysis released ahead of World Obesity Day, March 4, says the prevalence of adult obesity in the ten African countries those most affected will be between 13.6% and 31%, while the prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents will be between 5% and 16.5%.
“Africa is facing growing problems of obesity and overweight, and this trend is growing. It is a ticking time bomb. If left unchecked, millions of people, including children , will face the burden of ill health and life expectancy might be shortened,” said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
Being overweight is associated with severe illness and the need for COVID-19-related hospitalization. Although data for Africa is not yet available, according to a study published in the Journal of Infections and Public Health, at the end of February 2021, 2.2 million of the 2.5 million deaths from COVID-19 reported globally occurred in countries where more than half of the population was classified as overweight.
Through a global initiative supported by WHO, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, in partnership with international organizations, are receiving support to develop and implement regulatory standards and fiscal measures to promote healthy diets and physical activity.
According to the statement, in 2022, the WHO will work with ten other high-burden African countries to accelerate measures to reduce obesity.
