A health expert revealed during the first Obesity Collaborative Summit that nearly 40 percent of Filipino adults are now classified as obese, driven by a complex mix of genetics, environment, culture, and socioeconomic factors affecting the nation's health landscape.
The Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute's 2021 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS) confirmed that 40.2 percent of Filipino adults are living with overweight and obesity, with WHO data showing this represents almost 4 in 10 adults by global standards.
Assistant Health Secretary Beverly Lorraine C. Ho attributed the rising obesity rates to individual lifestyle choices and the "lack of supportive environments to make healthy choices such as moving more and eating right," emphasizing the need for integrated health policies across all sectors.
The World Obesity Federation's latest Atlas warns that by 2030, approximately 34.12 million Filipinos will have high Body Mass Index, with obesity-related diseases already responsible for 30,329 premature deaths in 2021 alone, representing tens of thousands of lives lost too soon.
The crisis stems from growing consumption of unhealthy processed foods and sugary beverages, with Filipinos consuming an average of 500ml to 1 liter of sugar-sweetened drinks per week, far exceeding WHO and Department of Health recommendations of 6 to 12 teaspoons of sugar daily.
