According to the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey Report 2022, three million, six hundred thousand women aged 15-49, or half of all women in that age group, are obese or overweight.
This health issue has been linked to bad eating habits and an unhealthy lifestyle. Many people utilize a variety of strategies to lose weight and stay healthy, including exercise, product use, and diet plans.
However, the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, which questioned over 16,000 women and 7,000 men, found that 3 million Ghanaian women aged 15 to 49 are still obese.
In our region of the globe, a chubby or plump person is considered healthy, which may be counter to WHO guidelines.
The World Health Organization defines overweight and obesity as abnormal or excessive fat buildup that might affect health, and many people have different perspectives on this.
Lifestyle, bad eating habits (excessive intake of chocolate, ice cream, and fried foods), and other cultural influences are the three primary factors of rising female obesity rates.
Government statistician, Professor Kobina Anim, indicated, “We realized that 50% of women in Ghana aged 15-49, are obese, specifically with 22% overweight and 28% obese. We want to promote public health awareness and ensure our efforts are collaborated to strengthen our health systems” he added.
Professor Anim, who presented the report’s results during the presentation in Accra on January 18, expressed optimism that the findings will give a road map for policymakers.
The Ghana Health and Demographic Survey 2022 is a national representation of indicators related to the Sustainable Development Goals designed to help program managers and policymakers review and enhance existing programs.
The 2022 edition is the seventh Demographic and Health Survey undertaken in Ghana since its beginning in 1988.