The Kenya STEPwise Survey 2015 by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported 27 per cent of Kenyans as either overweight or obese, with 38.5 per cent in women and 17.5 per cent men. The ministry had linked the rise in obesity to poor diets, inadequate physical activity, alcohol, and tobacco consumption, living in towns, being married, being female, and use of hormonal contraceptives.
Further analysis of the STEPwise data, published early this month (March 1, 2021) by Dr Rahma Mkuu, a Kenyan researcher at the University of Florida, US, also reports women with higher education to be at greater risk of obesity. “The likelihood of being overweight or obese was significantly higher among women compared to men, married compared to never-married participants, having primary education or more compared to lower education levels.”