Health minister declares 25 percent of Russian adults are obese

(MENAFN) Almost one in four Russian adults suffer from obesity, a growing public health challenge that the government is committed to tackling, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko announced on Tuesday.

Speaking at a forum in Moscow, Murashko revealed that Russia’s adult obesity rate reached 24.6% last year, with women being disproportionately affected. Reducing this figure is a key priority for the ministry, alongside efforts to curb alcohol and tobacco consumption—habits that, according to government estimates, cut an average of seven years from vulnerable individuals' lifespans. The ministry is also focusing on improving reproductive health.

Murashko stressed that preventing obesity must begin in childhood, particularly among those aged 7 to 11. He noted that nearly 33% of Russian children in this age group are overweight or obese, putting them at greater risk for severe health issues later in life. Encouraging healthy eating and fitness habits from an early age is essential in combating the problem, he said.

In October 2023, Murashko warned that obesity rates in Russia had risen by 10% over the past five years, with 2.4 million people affected. Health experts have expressed concerns over the increasing prevalence of obesity among younger generations, linking it to heart disease and other life-threatening conditions.

The World Health Organization has identified obesity as a global crisis, with an estimated 890 million adults affected in 2022. Since 1990, worldwide obesity rates have doubled.

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