On World Obesity Day 2026, under the global theme “8 Billion Reasons to Act on Obesity,” the Physicians Association for Nutrition (PAN) South Africa is calling for urgent national action to rethink the food systems and policies that are driving South Africa’s obesity crisis.
Nearly half of South African adults are living with overweight or obesity, while millions experience food insecurity. This dual burden reflects food systems and environments that prioritise energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods. Obesity is not simply the result of individual choices; it is shaped by the systems that determine how food is produced, marketed, priced and made accessible.
Obesity is a complex chronic disease influenced by dietary patterns, physical activity, food systems, socioeconomic conditions and structural inequalities. It significantly increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and certain cancers, placing immense pressure on households and the healthcare system. It has recently been described as South Africa’s “new HIV epidemic” in terms of its scale and burden.
Professor Andrew Robinson, Medical Director of PAN South Africa, describes obesity as “the elephant in the room.” “We are dealing with an easily visible pandemic of gargantuan proportions. Without fundamentally addressing nutrition as the cornerstone of prevention and management, other interventions remain largely palliative,” he says.
World Obesity Day 2026 highlights the need to look both at individual behaviour and beyond, and to address the broader systems that shape health. In South Africa, this means strengthening nutrition policy, improving access to affordable whole foods, and reshaping food environments that support healthier dietary patterns and make nourishing choices more accessible and affordable.
PAN South Africa welcomes the release of the Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Obesity in Adults in South Africa, marking a major milestone in obesity care. The guideline formally recognises obesity as a chronic disease requiring structured, long-term management and multidisciplinary intervention.
These guidelines provide a strong emphasis on medical nutrition therapy, including the endorsement of vegetarian and predominantly plant-based dietary patterns as evidence-based approaches to improve weight and metabolic health. These recommendations align closely with dietary models such as the Mediterranean diet and the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet, which emphasise whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, moderate dairy intake and limited meat consumption, while also highlighting the need to monitor key nutrients appropriately.
Research increasingly shows that whole-food, minimally processed dietary patterns are associated with reductions in inflammation, obesity, and chronic disease risk. A recent randomised controlled trial comparing African heritage diets with Western dietary patterns demonstrated measurable improvements in inflammatory and metabolic markers within weeks of dietary change; in other words, healing happens fast! South Africa has undergone a dramatic nutritional transition over the past five decades, paralleling a sharp rise in obesity and other non-communicable diseases.
“Returning to elements of the Traditional African Diet (TAD), rich in legumes, whole grains, vegetables and minimally processed foods, offers both a culturally grounded and scientifically supported pathway forward,” says Professor Robinson. “In doing so, we improve human health while aligning with food systems that are better for our environment and future generations.”
PAN South Africa is calling for coordinated action across sectors to address the systems that shape what South Africans eat. This includes stronger food and nutrition policies that prioritise whole, minimally processed foods, and recognise the value of traditional African dietary patterns. PAN South Africa published an analysis of food-based dietary guidelines across Africa, highlighting key areas for strengthening. In addition, equitable access to nutritious food and obesity care must be ensured, with prevention and treatment fully integrated into public healthcare services.
Higher education institutions should integrate nutrition education and culinary medicine into medical training to better equip health professionals to support communities in food and nutrition literacy. Through its PAN University Programme, PAN South Africa is leading the way by educating the next generation of doctors and health professionals in this area. Healthier food environments are also needed across settings such as schools, clinics and workplaces, so that healthier choices are visible and accessible. Finally, the food industry must commit to responsible marketing practices and to reformulating products in ways that support, rather than undermine, public health.
At the same time, individuals and families must be empowered with the knowledge and skills to make informed, healthy food choices. People can learn how to eat in ways that leave them satisfied, nourished and energised, with tummies full of tasty, whole foods that support healing and long-term health. When consumers shift their purchasing habits toward healthier, minimally processed foods, markets respond. Collective individual action influences supply chains, drives reformulation, and accelerates broader food system change.
World Obesity Day reminds us that there are 8 billion reasons to act. In South Africa, the urgency is unmistakable. Obesity is visible, its consequences are measurable, and its burden continues to grow. The solutions, rooted in both science and African dietary heritage, are within reach. Changing the story of obesity requires rethinking the food system and policies that shape what South Africans eat.
The time to act is now.
