The obesity rate among people aged 15 and over in Türkiye has reached 31.5%, with women accounting for around 40% and men 25%, according to the Türkiye Nutrition and Health Survey.
Dr. Senol Atakan, president of the Aksaray Family Physicians Association, described the figure as a serious concern, pointing to unhealthy eating habits and insufficient physical activity as among the main causes of obesity.
Obesity is considered one of the most significant health problems in both developed and developing countries. It generally refers to an excessive increase in body fat compared with lean body mass, resulting in body weight exceeding the desired level for a person’s height.
Describing obesity as “the plague of our time,” Atakan said its prevalence in Türkiye had increased by 300% since 1975 and that obesity ranks among the leading causes of death worldwide.
“We can call obesity the plague of our time. It has increased by 300% in our country since 1975. It ranks first among causes of death worldwide,” he said.
