This Tuesday, March 4, was World Obesity Day, a date created to raise awareness about the increase in overweight and obesity at a global level. According to World Obesity Atlas 2023According to a report published by the World Obesity Federation, it is estimated that more than 4 billion people will be overweight or obese by 2035, representing 51% of the world's population.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that obesity is one of the main risk factors for various non-communicable diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and some types of cancer. In addition to the impact on health, the increase in obesity also has high economic costs. The World Obesity Federation report predicts that, by 2035, the global cost associated with excess weight will exceed 4 billion dollars a year, corresponding to around 3% of the world's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

In recent decades, obesity rates have more than doubled among adults and quadrupled among children and adolescents. In 2022, according to WHO data, around 43% of adults were overweight and 16% were obese. Among children under 5, 37 million were overweight, which highlights the need for urgent measures to reverse this trend.

The WHO's African Regional Organization points out that obesity is growing rapidly in many countries on the continent, including Mozambique, where changes in eating patterns, sedentary lifestyles and limited access to healthy food have contributed to the increase in the problem. Accelerated urbanization and the consumption of ultra-processed products are some of the factors exacerbating the situation.

To tackle this public health crisis, the WHO and the World Obesity Federation recommend policies that encourage healthy habits, promote physical activity and guarantee access to health services for the prevention and treatment of obesity. Raising public awareness of a balanced diet and the need to combat sedentary lifestyles are key to halting the rise in obesity and reducing its impact on health and the economy. (MISA)