African Centre for Obesity Prevention

Hosted by the MRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, with a vision….

“To prevent and manage obesity in Africa through evidence based actions!”

Due to an urgent need for the primary prevention and management of obesity in African communities, the MRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit has begun the process of establishing the Africa Centre for Obesity Prevention (ACTION) as part of an initiative aimed at addressing the growing obesity epidemic in Africa.

ACTION will work with institutions, such as the Global Obesity Prevention Centre at John Hopkins, U.S. (http://www.globalobesity.org/about-the-gopc/), to form a collaborative network of experts, stakeholders and projects that will support programs at a cross-continental level. ACTION will participate in strengthening country resources through information, research and training, in support of national health development.

ACTION will work to realize the following objectives:

1. To summarize and disseminate African data and trends in obesity, to the public, government and media;
2. To provide a repository of the most effective obesity prevention policies and programmes available in Africa in order to encourage lifestyle change to prevent and manage obesity;
3. To provide a credible and evidence based source of information on the causes of obesity and associated NCDs, as well as fact sheets on how to increase physical activity, decrease sedentary behaviour, and make healthy nutritional choices;
4. To support new local and international studies in the field of obesity prevention in African populations;

To provide intellectual expertise for national surveillance studies and obesity targeted interventions across Africa