On the 4th of March 2026, Kenya joined other countries in marking the World Obesity Day.
The day is to encourage practical solutions to help people achieve and maintain a healthy weight, undertake proper treatment, and reverse the obesity crisis.
This year’s theme is set on that there are 8 billion reasons to act on obesity with half of the global population – 4 billion people – projected to be living with obesity by the year 2035.
Doctor Dan Gikonyo of The Karen Hospital intimated that excess body weight is a major contributor of many other diseases.
“Diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and joint diseases like wearing off of knee joints that require replacement. All these conditions are to a certain extend related to body weight,” said Dr. Gikonyo.
The doctor added that excess body weight is not always a lifestyle issue. He said obesity can either be acquired genetically or due to bad eating habits, lack of exercise and or engaging unhealthy lifestyle.
He emphasized the foundation of a good life, longevity and good health is eating healthy, reducing weight and exercising.
The Doctor added an area where government can provide good health and fight obesity is ensuring that there are enough playing grounds more so in the urban areas for children.
“You find that in the urban areas now, areas preserved for playing fields for kids has been taken up by other facilities and therefore the children have nowhere to exercise,” said Dr. Gikonyo.
He further added another policy the government can work on is to ensure enough walking space on the roads and pave the areas that people walk so that they can walk long distances without being hit with a car.
Dr. Gikonyo stated: “Most people are afraid of walking on these roads because you are either hit by a bodaboda or a car because there is no enough walking space for pedestrians.”
Besides this, Dr. Gikonyo said there is need for policy around food as junk food which is unhealthy is readily available promoting unhealthy eating.
“Healthy eating is learned and not inbuilt and therefore it is upon policy makers, teachers, parents and preachers to tell children that to grow healthy you must eat healthy, must exercise, must not smoke or take alcohol” said Dr. Gikonyo.
