The World Obesity Federation this year has chosen “Let’s Put A Spotlight On The Systems”3 as the theme for World Obesity Day, calling on governments, societies, institutions, and media worldwide to unite against the harms of obesity.
Balanced diet More exercise Build a healthy body shape
According to World Health Organization statistics, the global number of overweight and obese adults increased from 25% in 1990 to 43% in 2022 1. Additionally, the National Health Agency’s 2018-2022 National Nutrition and Health Survey shows that 50.8% of adults aged 18 and over meet the criteria for overweight or obesity2. Maintaining a healthy body shape has clearly become a global health challenge. Reduced physical activity and unhealthy diets are major factors for overweight and obesity. To reduce the health hazards of obesity, the National Health Agency offers the following two measures, urging the public to acquire knowledge on body management and maintain a good healthy body shape4：
1. Increase physical activity and healthy eating
It is recommended that adults engage in a total of 150 minutes of moderate‑intensity exercise per week (breathing slightly harder but still able to talk) to effectively reduce the risk of overweight and cardiovascular disease4,5. For overweight or obese individuals, a weekly total of 250–300 minutes of activity is recommended, combined with dietary adjustments for optimal results4,5.
To achieve weight loss, the National Health Agency advises that when adjusting diet, one should also eat a nutritionally balanced diet, choosing more whole grains and unrefined cereals, consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables, supplementing with high‑quality protein, and avoiding foods high in oil, salt, and sugar4,6. The public is encouraged to refer to the National Health Agency’s “My Plate” balanced diet handbook for dietary recommendations6.
2. Find accurate health information
To promote obesity prevention and address public concerns, the National Health Agency published “Obesity 100 Questions+” in 2019, offering advice and answers from the public’s perspective on common issues for pregnant women, children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. In 2024, it again collaborated with experts to revise “Let’s Talk About Obesity: 100+ Questions You Should Ask” (https://health99.hpa.gov.tw/material/8805), further exploring body management, adding topics such as underweight among adolescents, overweight among seniors, and sarcopenic obesity in the elderly, incorporating the latest domestic and international evidence on healthy body shape and physical activity, helping the public answer obesity‑related questions, and providing links to resources on physical activity and healthy nutrition, to understand how to start, implement, and maintain a healthy lifestyle, achieving the goal of embracing a healthy body shape!6。
References:
1. World Health Organization (World Health Organization), Obesity and Overweight.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
2. Ministry of Health and Welfare, National Health Agency, 111th Year Health Promotion Annual Report.
https://www.hpa.gov.tw/Pages/Detail.aspx?nodeid=268&pid=18596
3. World Obesity Federation, World Obesity Day.
https://www.worldobesityday.org/
4. Ministry of Health and Welfare, National Health Agency, Adult Obesity Prevention and Treatment Evidence‑Based Guidelines, Second Edition.
https://www.hpa.gov.tw/Pages/EBook.aspx?nodeid=1788
5. Ministry of Health and Welfare, National Health Agency, Health 99 “Let’s Talk About Obesity: 100+ Questions You Should Ask”.
https://health99.hpa.gov.tw/flipbook/8805
6. Ministry of Health and Welfare, National Health Agency, My Plate Handbook.
https://www.hpa.gov.tw/Pages/EBook.aspx?nodeid=3821
Source: Ministry of Health and Welfare, National Health Agency (opens in a new window)
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