Statements to the 75th Regional Committee for Africa

Obesity and NCDs in Africa: World Obesity Statements to the 75th WHO Africa Regional Committee

This resource brings together World Obesity’s statements on two agenda items at the 75th WHO Africa Regional Committee:

• Integrating NCD services into primary health care (PHC)
• Implementation of the strategic plan to reduce the double burden of malnutrition

World Obesity highlights the urgent need to integrate obesity prevention and management into PHC, ensuring patient-centred, non-stigmatising services that address obesity as both a disease and a major driver of other NCDs. We also raise concern that childhood overweight is rapidly increasing across Africa, now the dominant form of malnutrition in many countries.

The statements call on governments to accelerate multisectoral action - including WHO-recommended policies and participation in the WHO Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity - to stem the rising tide of obesity and deliver health and economic gains across the region.