National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Obesity

The National Department of Health released an update to the previous version of the National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Obesity in late 2015.

This National Strategy focuses on reducing obesity by a population-based, rather than individual, approach. The six primary goals of the strategy are:

Goal 1: Create an institutional framework to support inter-sectoral engagement

Goal 2: Create an enabling environment that supports availability and accessibility to healthy food choices in various settings

Goal 3: Increase the percentage of the population engaging in physical activity (PA)

Goal 4: Support obesity prevention in early childhood (in-utero – 12 years)

Goal 5: Communicate with, educate and mobilise communities

Goal 6: Establish a surveillance system and strengthen monitoring, evaluation and research

 The report states that the “strategy is aligned with the Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases 2013–17, the Health Promotion Policy and Strategy, the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, the WHO Initiative on Ending Childhood Obesity, and halting the prevalence of obesity globally.”

Read the full report