The World Health Organization (WHO) recent evidence indicates that the prevalence of overweight and obesity is on the rise in Sub-Saharan Africa, with Kenya being no exception. Once considered a high-income country problem, overweight and obesity are rising in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings. This complex situation results from numerous lifestyle factors, including poor dietary practices, physical inactivity, sedentary behavior, and limited availability of healthy options/environments. Despite the noble efforts made by the Kenyan government and other stakeholders, the country has realized very little progress towards achieving the WHO 2025 target of no increase in obesity or diabetes beyond 2010 levels. Kenya has an estimated 13.7 percent of adult women and 4.3 percent of adult men living with obesity, demonstrating less than a 10 percent chance of meeting the target. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is higher in urban areas (43 percent) than in rural areas (26 percent). Left untreated, the consequences of obesity are likely to escalate as the number of people living with obesity rises. The prolonged duration of obesity increases the risk of non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and certain cancers, needing more extensive and costly interventions.
Wellness for Greatness is an Associate Member of the World Obesity Federation (WOF), boosting its efforts of addressing the obesity epidemic by promoting physical activity and healthy eating from a tender age. Under this partnership, WOF and W4G are combining efforts to enhance knowledge and awareness on how to prevent, manage and treat overweight and obesity in Kenya and address their root causes.