WHO urges promotion of healthy diets and physical activity to reduce obesity risk in South-East Asia, ET HealthWorld

New Delhi: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on all South-East Asian countries to strengthen their policies promoting healthy diets and physical activity to combat the rising levels of overweight, obesity, and non-communicable diseases, a leading cause of deaths in the Region.

As per WHO, the Region is experiencing rapid demographic transition with rapid urbanisation, and economic growth further driving unhealthy diets, reduced physical activity, and more sedentary lifestyles. Nearly 74 per cent of adolescents and 50 per cent of adults are not physically active enough. Additionally around 5 million children under the age of five are overweight, and 37.3 million children between the ages of 5 to 19 are also affected with

“The burden of overweight, obesity, and associated metabolic disorders has been steadily rising in the WHO South-East Asia Region, affecting both children and adults. These trends have fueled a surge in noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, which are now responsible for nearly two-thirds of all deaths in our Region,” Saima Wazed, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia, said.

“Healthy diets and regular physical activity are fundamental to achieving this target. However, this requires more than knowledge and behavior change—it calls for creating enabling environments that support and encourage healthier choices. The lack of multisectoral coordination, lobbying to protect the strong commercial interests of industry, and capacity gaps of stakeholders, are major obstacles,” Wazed added.

• Published On Sep 18, 2024 at 03:48 PM IST

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