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Graphic.com.gh reports that 85% of Ghanaians don’t eat properly, and more than 50% are fat or overweight, according to the country’s first comprehensive assessment on obesity and lifestyle.
The research, performed in Accra, Kumasi, and Tamale, found the findings not unexpected given worrying data on eating habits and inactivity.
More than half of the population doesn’t exercise, and over 90% don’t eat healthy, based on WHO-recommended fruit and vegetable intake, the report said.
Public health specialists believe the study’s conclusions may pose huge health concerns for millions of Ghanaians if left unchecked.
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More than 3,380 persons were questioned in the three metropolises for the GSS’s obesity research.
The GSS addressed height and weight while sampling and collecting data. WHO recommends 400 grams of fruits and vegetables per day, or five 80-gram portions.
Eating Right
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Dr Kingsley Agyemang, Academic Lead of the Ghana Obesity Survey, told the Daily Graphic that obesity is on the rise in Ghana owing to sedentary lifestyles.
Obesity harms both the individual and the country, he added. He urged for “context-specific, culturally sensitive, cost-effective and sustainable” public health initiatives to combat obesity.
He advocated eating five servings of meals, including cooked or raw fruits and vegetables.
However, he noted, the survey indicated that most individuals don’t eat fruits and vegetables.
Stakeholder
The first-ever stakeholder engagement obesity workshop in 2019 guided the study’s strategy.
Over 50 policymakers from various sectors attended. Such interventions could include the mass fitness actions Dr. Agyemang developed in 2020, he said.
“Kingsley Keep Fit has over 5,000 members in Ghana and has expanded to inter-school events,” he said.
Policy impact
Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare, Presidential Advisor on Health, praised the study’s policy significance.
The research informed Ghanaian obesity policies. In assessing the evidence base, the research team used sophisticated sampling procedures and statistical analysis, he added.
Former Ghana Health Service Director-General Dr. Asare believes the report is already shaping policy discourse on obesity.
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