About 56% of Moldova’s population is overweight, while 23% of the people are obese. At global level, more than 1.9 billion people are overweight, while over 600 million are obese. The lack of physical activity is one of the main factors that cause overweightness. On May 10, the member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) celebrate the Move for Health Day. The Ministry of Health said that Moldova will also stage a series of events to inform the people about the benefit of movement and healthy food for preventing obesity, IPN reports.

Between May 10 and 21, the public medical-sanitary institutions will hold information meetings, workshops and other activities aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle under the theme “Act for a healthier future”. Statistics show that more than half of the population in the European region is not sufficiently active. Six in ten persons older than 15 never or rare do physical activity or sports. 

At world level, the lack of physical activity is considered to be the main cause of 21-25% of the cases of breast and bowel cancer, 27% of the cases of diabetes and about 30% of the ischemic heart diseases. Overweightness and diseases associated with obesity account for 7% of the costs of medical assistance in the EU.

In Moldova, the study of the prevalence of risks factors for non-communicable diseases (STEPS, 2013) shows that more than 10% of the population aged between 18 and 69 do not do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity a week or the equivalent, according to the WHO recommendations Also, sedentariness is higher in urban areas and increases with the age. About 65% of the people aged between 18 and 69 consume less than 5 portions of fruit and/or vegetables, the average consumption being 2 portions a day.

One of the specific objectives of the national health promotion program for 2016 – 2020 is to reduce the prevalence of physical inactivity by 5% towards 2020 by preventing and encouraging daily physical activity. The WHO recommends that adults aged 18–64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.