The recently released Uganda Demographic and Health Survey report (UDHS) indicates that women in wealthier households are five times more overweight than those in the poorest households.
The same trend is observed in men from a similar environment but worsens for those who have attained more than secondary level education.
Overweight and obesity present an escalating health challenge, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) report on March 1, 2024.
The report reveals that adult obesity worldwide has more than doubled since 1990, while adolescent obesity has quadrupled over the same period.
Samalie Namukose, the assistant commissioner of the Nutrition Division of the Ministry of Health, notes that the overweight condition leading to obesity is more of a lifestyle issue.
Its prevention starts at an individual level, unlike other public health issues.
To alter this trend, Namukose believes that increased awareness through aggressive sensitization would make an impact because the condition requires personal decisions to combat it.
