Africa Faces Rising Obesity Crisis Among Women
A new study from the World Obesity Federation warns that by 2030, nearly half of African women will be overweight or obese, an expert in trending similar to the HIV epidemic due to stigma and lack of treatment opportunities. Although 40% of African women are already overweight, this figure is expected to increase to 45%, compared to 26% for men. Experts point out that urbanization as a key driver, lifestyle changes and limited physical exercise. In addition, increased consumption of HIV treatment, cultural attitudes and processed foods can lead to this problem. Despite the promise of new anti-obesity drugs, such as GLP-1 receptor agonists, access to Africa remains limited. Experts demand gender-focused obesity prevention and treatment policies, warning that if not intervened, the crisis will worsen, increasing the burden on diabetes, heart disease and other non-communicable diseases (NCDS).
source: guardian
