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Volume 6, Issue 4(Suppl) J Obes Weight Loss Ther
ISSN: 2165-7904 JOWT, an open access journal
Page 33
Notes:
Obesity Congress 2016
August 08-10, 2016
conferenceseries.com
August 08-10, 2016 Toronto, Canada
6th World Congress on
Obesity
Obesity trends in Sub-Saharan Africa: What endanger its status?
Tesfai Yemane Nguse
Thammasat University, Thailand
Background: The food system of the world is framed by globalization, liberalization and industrialization. While the benefits of a
globalized food system are apparent, industrial food production, processing, trade, marketing and retailing are a major stressor to
the planet and contribute to the nutrition and epidemiological transitions taking place in developing countries. In 2014, more than
1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight and of these over 600 million were obese (WHO, 2015). WHO also indicates
that the worldwide prevalence of obesity has doubled between 1980 and 2014. Once considered a high-income country problem,
overweight and obesity are now on the rise in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan African countries
and this status may be a signal of future vulnerability for Sub-Saharan African population. Even though there are numerous studies
dedicated in prevalence of overweight/obesity and food pattern, there is no any research done that studies the shifting trend in food
consumption particularly in Sub-Saharan African region during the past one and half decade.
Objective: To determine overweight and obesity prevalence trends in Sub-Saharan African and identify changes in calories intake
and diet.
Methodology: An extensive literature review applying a descriptive documentary research design using quantitative approaches was
done using existing secondary data retrieved by a computer based search from databases of PubMed, Medline, Google scholar and
Google search engines produced in English language during 2000-2015, including source materials such as: the Demographic and
Health Surveys (DHS) of Sub-Saharan Africa countries, World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNAIDS, UNICEF
and Scientific publications. Obesity and overweight are defined based on World Health Organization guidelines as BMI > 30 kg/m2
and BMI >25 kg/m2 respectively (WHO, 2015).
Results: Overweight trend increased from 3 to 10% in all Sub-Saharan African countries while obesity trend increased from 5 to
15%. South Africa had the highest increase in overweight and obesity. Inversely lowest rise in overweight and obesity was revealed in
Eritrea. Remarkably, in the one and half decade, the highest variation in calorie intake was in South Africa (1200 kcal/day), while the
lowest change was in Eritrea (120 kcal/day). Most of Sub-Saharan African countries increased the rate of sugar and wheat ingestion
while they diminished their rate of rice intake.
Discussion: There are possible confounding factors that may have affected obesity such as gender, age, exercise, access to food
availability and trade. Further study is required to address these contributing factors and consequence of globalization on diet intake.
Conclusion: overweight and obesity are in the rise in almost all Sub-Saharan African countries and might take epidemic proportions
in the future. Like other public health challenges, they need to be prevented and reduced as planned in the WHO policy on diet and
health.
Biography
Tesfai Yemane Nguse obtained his Bachelor of Science from Asmara College of Health Sciences, Eritrea in July 2010. He is currently pursuing Master’s in International
Master of Public Health in Global Health, Thammasat University, School of Global Studies, Thailand
Tesfai Yemane Nguse, J Obes Weight Loss Ther 2016, 6:4(Suppl)