Obesity – which the World Health Organization classifies as a disease – is not just an individual issue; it is shaped by the systems people live in. Research shows that urbanisation, economic status and food marketing strategies, for example, play a role along with more personal factors.
More than 890 million adults were living with obesity worldwide in 2022, a number that had more than doubled since 1990. In the WHO African region, the prevalence of adult obesity increased from 8.64% in 2010 to 12.08% in 2022. South Africa had the highest proportion of obese adults in 2022, three in 10 adults, followed by Eswatini and Seychelles. In the same region, child obesity’s prevalence almost doubled in 12 years, from 2.92% in 2010 to 5.27% in 2022.
To mark World Obesity Day on 4 March, we’re sharing some of the articles our authors have contributed in the past.
