Obesity epidemic grips Sri Lanka: 46% of women and 10% of schoolchildren affected, health official warns

About 46% of women and 10% schoolchildren in Sri Lanka are obese, Secretary to the Ministry of Health Dr. Palitha Mahipala has said.

Speaking at a lecture to educate journalists on health related issues, on Wednesday, Dr. Mahipala said that 89% of deaths in Sri Lanka were caused by non-communicable diseases such as cancer, heart disease, lung disease and diabetes.

Most of the Sri Lankans died due to heart disease and stroke, he said. Annually, about 60,000 Sri Lankans suffered strokes and 4,000 died of it, he said. Obesity was a major factor in non-communicable diseases, Dr. Mahipala said.

(RK)