According to a medical expert, the percentage of men and women who are overweight or obese has increased since 2015, when obesity was reported in Sri Lanka in 6.3% of men and 15% of women.
At a press conference held by the Health Promotion Bureau, consultant community physician Shanthi Gunawardana stated that the percentage of obese and overweight women has increased from 34% in 2015 to 43% in 2021.
According to a 2015 study on non-communicable diseases, the percentage of overweight and obese men in the population has risen from 24.5 percent in 2015 to 30 percent in 2021.
According to data from the World Health Organization, Dr. Gunawardana claimed that the Body Mass Index (BMI) was used to determine whether a person was overweight or obese.
She advised people in Asian nations to keep their BMI at 23 and ensure that it does not rise above that number.
According to Dr. Gunawardana, eating habits directly contribute to obesity and overweight, and they also contribute to other diseases like heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, and some types of cancer.