The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a call to action for countries in the South-East Asia region, urging them to adopt stronger policies promoting healthy diets and increased physical activity to address the escalating rates of overweight, obesity, and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
As the leading cause of death in the region, NCDs are taking a toll on both children and adults, placing a major burden on healthcare systems and communities.
The Growing Crisis of Obesity and NCDs
Speaking at a regional meeting aimed at promoting healthier diets and physical activity, Saima Wazed, the WHO South-East Asia Regional Director, highlighted the alarming trends in the region. “The burden of overweight, obesity, and associated metabolic disorders has been steadily rising in the WHO South-East Asia Region, affecting both children and adults.
These trends have fueled a surge in noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, which are now responsible for nearly two-thirds of all deaths in our region,” she said.
The statistics are stark. An estimated 5 million children under the age of five in the South-East Asia region are overweight, with another 37.3 million children aged 5 to 19 also grappling with excess weight. This growing epidemic is exacerbated by rapid urbanization, economic growth, and demographic transitions, all of which contribute to unhealthy diets and reduced physical activity. Nearly 74% of adolescents and 50% of adults in the region are not physically active enough, leading to a rise in sedentary lifestyles.
The impact of these trends goes beyond health. Obesity and NCDs present significant challenges to achieving the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes a target to reduce premature mortality from NCDs by one-third. The region faces an uphill battle to meet this goal unless concerted efforts are made to tackle these health risks at their root.
The Role of Policy in Creating Healthier Environments
Wazed emphasized that the solution to the obesity crisis lies not only in individual behavior changes but also in creating environments that make healthier choices more accessible. “Healthy diets and regular physical activity are fundamental to achieving this target.
However, this requires more than knowledge and behavior change—it calls for creating enabling environments that support and encourage healthier choices,” she explained.
One of the key areas where WHO is focusing its efforts is in the development of strong regulatory frameworks and policies that create healthier food environments. These policies aim to improve food quality and accessibility in various settings, including homes, schools, retail spaces, and even digital platforms where food choices are influenced. Creating safe recreational spaces and walkways, particularly in urban areas, is also vital to encouraging physical activity.
WHO has proposed several evidence-based ‘best buy’ recommendations that countries can adopt. These include implementing school and workplace regulations that discourage unhealthy diets, promoting community initiatives, and ensuring that disadvantaged groups have access to healthy food options and opportunities for physical activity. Moreover, fiscal policies can be used to incentivize healthier diets by introducing taxes on unhealthy food products such as sugar-sweetened beverages.
To further assist countries in combating this crisis, WHO’s Global Action Plan for Physical Activity (GAPPA) provides a roadmap for making societies more active, while also addressing the cultural barriers that prevent participation in physical activity, especially for women and girls.
Several countries in the region have already made significant strides by introducing regulations such as food labeling, banning trans fats, and implementing taxes on sugary drinks. However, experts agree that more needs to be done to sustain these efforts and expand them across all sectors of society.
Multisectoral Collaboration: A Key to Success
The regional meeting brought together experts, government officials, and civil society representatives to discuss the importance of multisectoral collaboration in addressing the growing health challenges posed by unhealthy diets and sedentary behavior. According to WHO, this collaboration is essential to achieving meaningful progress in creating healthier communities.
“We must confront the challenges that stand in our way,” said Wazed. “The lack of multisectoral coordination, lobbying to protect the strong commercial interests of industry, and capacity gaps of stakeholders, are major obstacles. By collaborating across sectors, we can strengthen national coordination efforts, build government capacity, and foster support from civil society. Together, we can drive meaningful progress towards healthier communities.”
This multisectoral approach involves various sectors such as education, commerce, transport, agriculture, and urban planning, which all play a role in shaping the food environments and physical activity opportunities available to communities.
Addressing the root causes of obesity and NCDs requires a unified response from all these sectors to ensure that policies promoting healthy living are effectively implemented and sustained over time.
The discussions at the regional meeting underscored the need for countries to address not only the health aspects of obesity but also the social, economic, and environmental factors that contribute to it. Governments are urged to take bold action in areas such as regulating food marketing, improving food labeling, and creating urban spaces that promote active living.
In conclusion, the WHO’s call to action is a reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive policies that promote healthy diets and physical activity.
By working together and implementing these measures, countries in the South-East Asia region can make significant strides in reversing the obesity epidemic, reducing the burden of NCDs, and building healthier, more resilient communities. The time to act is now.
