The World Health Organization today called on countries in the WHO South-East Asia Region to strengthen policies to promote healthy diets and physical activity to combat the rising levels of overweight, obesity, and noncommunicable diseases which is a leading cause of deaths 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” said Saima Wazed, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia, speaking at the inaugural of a regional meeting to ‘Promote healthy diets and food environments, and physical activity through policies and enabling environments.’
An estimated 5 million children under the age of five are overweight, and 37.3 million children between the ages of 5 to 19 are also affected in the WHO South-East Asia Region.
The Region is experiencing rapid demographic transition with rapid urbanization, and economic growth further driving unhealthy diets, reduced physical activity, and more sedentary lifestyles. Nearly 74% of adolescents and 50% of adults are not physically active enough.
Obesity and NCDs are major challenges to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which seeks to reduce premature mortality from NCDs by one-third by 2030 through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. “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,” said the Regional Director.
Strong regulatory frameworks and policies are crucial for creating healthier food environments at home, school, retail, and digital spaces, as well as safe recreational areas and walkways, especially in urban settings. Fiscal policies should also incentivize healthy diets.
To address these challenges, WHO has outlined evidence-based ‘best buy’ recommendations, which include implementing regulations in schools and workplaces to reduce unhealthy diets, promoting community initiatives, and ensuring access to healthy food options and opportunities for physical activity, particularly for disadvantaged groups. WHO’s Global Action Plan for Physical Activity (GAPPA) provides additional guidance for making populations and societies more active, while recognizing the cultural constraints that often limit participation, especially for girls and women.
Several countries in the Region have already made significant progress by introducing food labeling regulations, banning trans fats in food, and implementing taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, but further action is necessary.
At the regional meeting, experts, officials, and representatives from key sectors and civil society are discussing ways to strengthen multisectoral collaboration across education, commerce, transport, agriculture, and urban planning to address the Region’s growing health challenges from unhealthy lifestyles and sedentary behavior.
“We must confront the challenges that stand in our way. The lack of multisectoral coordination, lobbying to protect the strong commercial interests of industry, and capacity gaps of stakeholders, are major obstacles,” the Regional Director said, adding, “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.”
