One in five Israeli children face obesity as lawmakers sound alarm

TEL AVIV: Israel is grappling with a growing obesity epidemic, with nearly one in five children aged 6-9 suffering from obesity and close to a third of the country’s youth classified as overweight according to data presented to the Knesset Health Committee on Wednesday.

Health officials and lawmakers warned of escalating health and economic consequences unless immediate action is taken.

“The state must allocate significant budgetary resources — not just as a response, but as a necessary step to eradicate the phenomenon and reduce the enormous economic damage it causes,” said committee chairman MK Yoni Mashriki (Shas). “Given the depth of the problem and its severe consequences, the Health Committee will continue to closely monitor the steps taken by government ministries.”

Obesity can lead to a wide range of serious health problems, affecting nearly every system in the body, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer, as well as respiratory, digestive, and reproductive issues and reduced life expectancy.

The issue was brought forward by MKs Kati Shitrit (Likud) and Simon Davidson (Yesh Atid), who cited new research indicating that almost 60 per cent of Israel’s adult population is overweight or obese. The total economic cost of obesity to the Israeli economy is estimated at NIS 55.1 billion (USD 15.5 billion) annually — equivalent to 2.9 per cent of the GDP.

According to data compiled by Prof. Gabi Ben-Nun of Ben-Gurion University, if current trends continue, 31.2 per cent of adults in Israel will be obese by 2030, placing an additional NIS 34 billion (USD 9.5 billion) burden on the healthcare system.

“The health consequences are not just personal–they’re national,” said Davidson. “This isn’t only about lifestyle choices; it’s about a systemic failure that requires a coordinated national strategy.”

Moran Bleichfeld-Magnazy, director of the Nutrition Division at the Ministry of Health, reported a modest 0.7 per cent decline in overweight and obesity among seventh-grade children. However, she noted that rates have barely shifted in over a decade, from 31.3 per cent in 2011 to 30.6 per cent in 2023. Bleichfeld-Magnazy emphasized the importance of physical activity and access to nutritious food, particularly in early childhood and educational environments.

“Roughly 40 per cent of families in Orthodox and Arab communities cannot afford healthy food,” she said. “We are directly funding health promotion programs in dozens of local authorities, but systemic inequities persist.”

She also highlighted the importance of breastfeeding, citing evidence that exclusive breastfeeding until six months reduces the risk of adult obesity by 26 per cent. “Each month of breastfeeding cuts early childhood obesity risk by 4 per cent,” she said.

From the education sector, Efrat Laufer of the Ministry of Education defended existing efforts, citing initiatives in daycare centers and collaboration with parents. She called for the return of school nurses to support long-term health education.

Meanwhile, Abdel Hadi Zoabi, head of Clalit’s Diabetes and Obesity Unit, warned that despite numerous programs, implementation remains inadequate. “These initiatives are not budgeted and, frankly, are not being executed,” he said. “The complications, including amputations, disproportionately affect the periphery, where treatment centers are scarce.”

Private health funds are stepping in to fill some of the gaps. Limor Tal Poni, chief dietitian at Maccabi, said the fund now operates 18 clinics for overweight children and offers free workshops for parents. “About a third of our dietitians now work with children and teens,” she noted.

She also introduced Upapp, a digital platform offering discounted physical activity access across 2,000 locations. So far, 3.5 million sessions have been logged by 700,000 users–60 per cent of whom are overweight or obese.

“Twenty percent of users had not engaged in any physical activity before,” Tal Poni said. “That’s a powerful indication of the potential for real impact. But to scale this, health funds must commit to budgeting for preventive care.” (ANI/TPS)