Kenyan health advocate Ogweno Stephen has achieved a major milestone with his first publication in The Lancet, one of the world’s most prestigious medical journals. The paper, co-authored by the World Obesity Federation, calls out the glaring omission of obesity as a global health priority in the Lancet Commission’s “Global Health 2050” report.

In the publication, Stephen Ogweno, a recognized voice in the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs), joins leading experts in challenging the systemic neglect of obesity within global health discourse. Despite the Commission’s focus on halving premature mortality by 2050, the report fails to meaningfully address obesity—one of the world’s fastest-growing and most expensive health burdens.

The article points to research by the World Obesity Federation, which reveals that obesity already costs economies between 2–3% of GDP. By 2035, nine of the ten countries with the highest rates of obesity will be in low- and middle-income countries, where healthcare systems are under-resourced and ill-equipped to cope.

Stephen Ogweno, who has long championed preventive health solutions across Africa, argues that this omission reflects deep-rooted stigma and an outdated framing of obesity. “Obesity is not just a lifestyle issue; it’s a complex, multi-sectoral challenge that demands serious policy attention,” says Ogweno.

This publication is a critical step in Ogweno’s broader mission: to bring lived experience and African leadership to the global stage and advocate for equitable, people-centered health systems.

READ THE FULL PAPER HERE