Contextual Trend in Preventing Obesity Epidemic in Developing Countries: Role of the Key Players

Aim: Today, the World Health Organization warns that the greater future burden of obesity and
diabetes will affect developing countries with the extent doubling with urbanization. Aside from the
estimation that, currently, more than 1.6 billion (age 15+ years) adults are overweight and at least 400
million of them are obese, it was also estimated that obesity is responsible for 2-6 % of the total health
care cost in several developed countries and some estimates put the figure as high as 7%. The true
costs are undoubtedly much greater as not all obesity related conditions are calculated. Some
developing countries aimed to attain the millennium development goals (MDGs), which prospect the
reduction in rate of tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and infant mortality rates, and childhood
malnutrition, however little or nothing is done to curb the increasing obesity epidemic and its
accompanying non-communicable diseases (NCDs) burden. The fact therefore is that, the developing
countries’ health sector garbled with the double burden of diseases from the threat of both NCDs and
infectious diseases.
Methodology: Literature search from PubMed, MEDLINE and Google Scholar was conducted with
the aim of highlighting the prospects in preventing and managing obesity epidemics in developing
countries through evidence based multi-strategic, multi-dimensional and proactive approaches.
Results: Numerous established studies recommended that, beyond individual action, the
government, schools, families, employers, media, medical practitioners, food producers, manufacturers,
wholesalers, retailers, caterers, transporters, urban planners and community groups could
formulate and implement a multi-strategic intervention plans to promote healthy eating habits and
regular physical activity as well as manage those already overweight to prevent future obesity.
Conclusion: There is therefore, the need for a less cost effective, multi-sectional, far reaching
population based intervention plans by the key players of the health sector in such countries which
should incorporate the need for regular exercising, good nutritional habits, bodyweight image
assessment and reduced stigmatization of affected individuals.