Obesity is a growing crisis that affects people across all ages, economic backgrounds, and geographies. Every year, more and more individuals find themselves battling this complex condition, which is not just a disease in itself but also a major driver of other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and certain cancers. On March 3, during the World Obesity Day event, I had the honor of delivering the closing remarks, where I reinforced a message that I believe is at the heart of our fight for better health:

Obesity Is More Than Just an Individual Issue—It’s a Systemic Challenge

For too long, efforts to combat obesity have been overly focused on individual choices and behaviors, often ignoring the larger systemic forces at play. While personal responsibility is important, it is not enough to halt the rising obesity epidemic. This World Obesity Day, we put the spotlight on the systems that contribute to obesity—from food and health policies to environmental factors and societal influences—and demonstrated the solutions that can lead to long-term change.

A single intervention will not be enough. A comprehensive approach across multiple sectors—health, food, education, and urban planning—is needed to reshape the systems that perpetuate obesity. This includes:

Improving food environments by regulating ultra-processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages.

 Promoting physical activity through urban planning that prioritizes active transport and safe spaces for exercise.

Strengthening healthcare systems to integrate obesity prevention and management into primary care.

Addressing social determinants of health, ensuring that low-income populations have access to nutritious foods and preventive care.

Obesity and NCDs: A ‘Win-Win’ Action for Healthier Lives

Obesity doesn’t just exist in isolation—it is interwoven with the broader NCDs crisis. The same policies that prevent and manage obesity—such as promoting healthy diets, increasing physical activity, and reducing harmful marketing practices—also reduce the burden of NCDs. Action on obesity, therefore, serves as a double-duty intervention for creating healthier societies.

This is why governments, policymakers, and advocates must ensure that obesity remains a top priority in the global NCD response. In September 2025, at the Fourth High-Level Meeting (HLM 4) of the United Nations General Assembly on NCDs and Mental Health, world leaders will come together to review progress and commit to the next phase of NCDs action. We must seize this moment to push for stronger commitments, ensuring that obesity is recognized as a major pillar of NCDs prevention.

Turning Advocacy into Action

The World Obesity Day event brought together a diverse group of voices, including governments, UN agencies, civil society, academia, and individuals with lived experience. Through new data, research, and personal stories, the event underscored the urgency of taking decisive action. Our goal is clear: change the systems that perpetuate obesity and create environments where people can make healthier choices effortlessly.

The audience—ranging from policymakers and healthcare professionals to young people and patient advocates—left the event inspired to drive change in their respective sectors. But inspiration is only the first step. We now need action, collaboration, and accountability.

A Call to Action: Kenya and Beyond

As a champion for NCDs advocacy in Kenya, I am committed to ensuring that our country takes a leadership role in the global fight against obesity. We must:

📌 Strengthen national policies on food labeling, taxation of unhealthy products, and the promotion of healthier alternatives.

📌 Invest in public awareness campaigns that educate communities on the dangers of obesity and its link to NCDs.

📌 Encourage cross-sector collaboration, ensuring that stakeholders from health, agriculture, education, and urban planning work together for holistic solutions.

📌 Empower young people and civil society organizations to take charge in pushing for a healthier future.

Looking Ahead: The Road to HLM 4

World Obesity Day 2025 is not just another event—it is a critical milestone in the fight against obesity and NCDs. With the UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health on the horizon, we must amplify our advocacy efforts and demand stronger policies and funding for obesity prevention.

Let us not wait for another year to take action. The time for change is now. Together, we can build a future where health is a priority, and where systemic barriers to healthy living are removed. Kenya—and the world—deserve nothing less.

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