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Volume 8
Journal of Obesity & Weight Loss Therapy
Obesity Meeting 2018
August 24-25, 2018
August 24-25, 2018 Singapore
20
th
Global Obesity Meeting
Obesity status of children in Kenya and programs to enhance resilience to obesity
Judith Waudo
Kenyatta University, Kenya
H
istorically Kenya has been associated with the problem of under-nutrition. During past two decades Kenya has been
struggling with the problem of double mal-nutrition namely under-nutrition and obesity. Nutrition in transition has
escalated the problem of child obesity which stands at 24%. The main causes of obesity include consumption of fast and street
foods which are high in fats and sugars, and sedentary lifestyles. The cultural perception that being “fat is good”, is also a
causative factor. The consequences of obesity thus include: High morbidity and mortality, poor self-image, high prevalence of
chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Further, obesity is not currently covered by the Health
Insurance Fund. In order to enhance resilience to obesity in children, one must begin early in life when children are forming
their eating habits to instill good nutrition. The Ministry of Health has adopted WHO measures to reduce child obesity.
These initiatives include: Promotion of dietary diversity, promotion of intake of health foods, promotion of physical activity
at an early age, monitoring of preconception and pregnancy weight, nutrition and physical activity in school age children
and behavior change in weight management. The Kenyan new curriculum has responded to this problem of child obesity by
including nutrition and physical activity as compulsory subjects starting at pre-pre-primary (age 3). The introduction of an
annual Kenyan Nutrition and Physical Activity School Children Score Card since 2014 has had a positive impact on obesity
reduction. These measures if implemented successfully will go a long way in solving the problem of child obesity.
waudojudith@yahoo.comJ Obes Weight Loss Ther 2018, Volume 8
DOI: 10.4172/2165-7904-C6-073