Khaberni - The Higher Population Council said on Tuesday that about 46% of adult women and 32% of adult men in Jordan suffer from obesity.
In a press statement on the occasion of World Obesity Day, which falls on Wednesday, the council added that overweight and obesity are measured by an index called "Body Mass Index BMI"; simply, it is the result of dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters; if the result falls between 25-29, persons have overweight, and if the division result is 30 or more, it indicates obesity.
According to the council, the Global Nutrition Report 2024 points out that obesity constitutes one of the major health challenges in Jordan, showing higher prevalence rates compared with regional rates. It points out that about 46% of adult women and about 32% of adult men in Jordan suffer from obesity, while about 60% of adults suffer from overweight and/or obesity, reflecting a significant health burden on the Jordanian health system.
The results of the 2023 Jordan Population and Family Health Survey align with the global reports on obesity, showing a significant increase in the proportion of women of reproductive age suffering from obesity and/or overweight. The rates among women aged 15-19 (35.4%) increase among women aged 20-49 to 64.1%, and reach 83.6% among older women in the age group 40-49, which is an important indicator of the transition of health risks across age stages.
The proportion of children suffering from obesity reaches 10% among children whose mothers suffer from obesity or overweight, compared with 5% among children whose mothers are of normal weight and 4% among children of underweight mothers. Additionally, the data shows a clear economic gradient, with the percentage of children classified as obese increasing with the family welfare level, from 7% among the lowest welfare segment to 13% among the highest welfare segment.
World Obesity Day 2026 carries the theme calling to recognize obesity as a chronic disease that needs comprehensive understanding and systematic multi-level interventions, not just a personal choice or a lack of willpower. Because obesity increases the likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, respiratory problems, and some types of cancer, and it can also affect mental health, leading to problems such as depression and low self-esteem, alongside its potential impacts on reproductive and sexual health for both women and men.
In the Jordanian context, studies show that high obesity rates are also associated with social and economic factors such as urban transformation, decreased physical activity, the prevalence of high-calorie foods, and contemporary work patterns. The rise in obesity is accompanied by an increase in non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, affirming the view of obesity as a key determinant of public health and not as an isolated condition.
Global published studies have shown that obesity has an impact on the environment and climate change, due to the overconsumption of food by obese individuals, higher metabolic rates, and higher fuel consumption due to their increased use of transportation instead of walking, all of which contribute to emissions that cause environmental warming and climate change.
The rising rates of obesity present a challenge that exceeds the health sector to include developmental and social dimensions. Obesity is a primary factor in increasing the disease burden associated with chronic diseases, which reflects on economic productivity, healthcare costs, and quality of life.
From this perspective, the role of national bodies concerned with population and health policies, like the Higher Population Council, becomes prominent in integrating nutrition and health issues within the national strategies for sustainable development. The role of the Higher Population Council lies in its ability to link health indicators with the broader demographic context, contributing to guiding national policies towards a more comprehensive and evidence-based response. The council’s role is not limited to analyzing demographic and health data but extends to enhancing integration between different sectors and developing policy approaches that consider variations related to age, gender, geographic location, and economic status.
