The global fight against obesity requires leaders who combine lived experience with evidence, advocacy, and action. At the 2026 International Congress on Obesity (ICO 2026) in Mexico City, Ogweno Stephen, a Kenyan health advocate and global obesity advocate, was recognized for doing exactly that.

During the closing ceremony of the congress, Ogweno Stephen received the World Obesity Federation Presidential Recognition Award in acknowledgment of his outstanding contribution to advancing obesity advocacy, amplifying the voices of people living with obesity, and promoting equitable access to obesity prevention and treatment across Africa and globally.

The recognition was presented by Dr. Simón Barquera, then President of the World Obesity Federation, during one of the world’s largest gatherings of obesity researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and advocates. ICO 2026 brought together thousands of delegates in Mexico City to shape the future of obesity prevention, treatment, and policy.

A Recognition for Global Obesity Leadership

For Ogweno Stephen, the award represents more than a personal achievement.

It reflects years of working alongside communities, researchers, healthcare professionals, governments, and people living with obesity to ensure obesity is recognized as a complex chronic disease rather than a personal failure.

As a Board Member and lived experience representative at the World Obesity Federation, Stephen has consistently advocated for policies that place people living with obesity at the centre of decision making. His work has focused on reducing stigma, improving access to quality obesity care, strengthening health systems, and ensuring African perspectives are represented in global conversations.

His advocacy has also emphasized that obesity cannot be solved by individual effort alone.

Instead, meaningful progress requires healthier food environments, equitable access to treatment, stronger health policies, community engagement, and sustained political commitment.

Championing Obesity Advocacy in Kenya and Beyond

Throughout his career, Ogweno Stephen has become one of Kenya’s leading voices on obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Drawing from his own lived experience with obesity, he has transformed personal challenges into a platform for advocacy, education, research, and innovation.

Through Stowelink Foundation, he has led campaigns across Africa promoting healthier lifestyles, obesity awareness, and prevention of non-communicable diseases. Through Lifesten Health, he continues to develop digital health solutions that help individuals better understand and manage their health while supporting behaviour change and early disease prevention.

His work bridges community engagement, digital health innovation, research, and health policy, making him a respected Kenyan health advocate on both regional and global platforms.

“People living with obesity deserve dignity, evidence-based care, and a seat at every table where decisions about their health are made.”

Representing Africa on the Global Stage

Receiving the World Obesity Federation Presidential Recognition Award also highlights the growing influence of African leadership within global health.

For many years, conversations about obesity have largely been shaped outside the continent.

Today, leaders like Ogweno Stephen are helping ensure African realities, challenges, and solutions are part of international policy discussions.

His advocacy has consistently called for greater investment in obesity prevention, stronger food policies, equitable access to medicines including GLP-1 therapies where clinically appropriate, and increased inclusion of lived experience in research, policy development, and healthcare delivery.

These priorities align closely with the World Obesity Federation’s commitment to advancing equitable obesity care worldwide.

Continuing the Journey

The recognition comes during a period of growing global momentum around obesity care.

Scientific advances, new medicines, stronger public policies, and greater awareness are changing how obesity is understood and treated around the world.

For Ogweno Stephen, however, the work is far from finished.

Millions of people still face stigma, delayed diagnosis, limited access to treatment, and health systems that are not yet designed to provide comprehensive obesity care.

As a public health advocate, researcher, and digital health entrepreneur, Stephen remains committed to advancing policies and innovations that improve health outcomes for people living with obesity and other non-communicable diseases across Kenya, Africa, and beyond.

The Presidential Recognition Award serves as both a celebration of progress and a reminder that meaningful change happens when science, policy, lived experience, and community leadership come together.