Six in ten adults in the Republic of Moldova are overweight and this is almost 64% of the population. Among men, the figure stands at 71%, as opposed to 57% among women. Almost one fourth of Moldova’s population is obese, without major differences by sexes. The data were provided by the National Public Health Agency in connection with World Obesity Day that is marked on March 4, IPN reports.
The World Health Organization defines overweight and obesity as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese. The BMI is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults. It is defined as a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of his height in meters (kg/m2).
The last STEPS study – prevalence of noncommunicable diseases in Moldova in 2021- shows the average BMI of the population is 26.9 kg/m2, which is around overweight. The average waist circumference is 87.3 cm for women and 93.6 cm for men.
In 2023, the theme of World Obesity Day is “Changing perspectives: Let’s talk about obesity”. Obesity is a chronic disease that affects more than two billion people in the world, and it is a very important risk factor for many chronic diseases. Obesity is one of the biggest health problems in the world and is seen as a stigma in the modern world. Addressing this disease requires a social responsibility that includes radical solutions in terms of prevention, treatment, and attention to a healthy lifestyle.
According to the WHO, more than one billion people worldwide are obese, including 650 million adults, 340 million adolescents and 39 million children. World Obesity Federation anticipates that one in five women and one in seven men will be obese towards 2030.
