Chapter 3 Additional World Health Assembly Nutrition Indicators

Key messages
  • The prevalence of obesity in the adult population in the ECA region increased from 20.4 percent in 2012 to 22.6 percent in 2022. This is well above the global prevalence, which was estimated at 15.8 percent in 2022. All subregions had values above 20 percent but the EFTA subregion, where the prevalence was 15.0 percent. The “Other” subgroup (Andorra, Israel and Türkiye) had the highest prevalence in 2022, at 32.3 percent. Among individual countries, Georgia (34.7 percent) had the highest prevalence, while France (9.7 percent) had the lowest.
  • Exclusive breastfeeding data for infants under six months of age are lacking in most ECA subregions, except Central Asia, the “Other” subgroup (Andorra, Israel and Türkiye), and the Western Balkans. These areas show a prevalence lower than the global estimate of 47.7 percent in 2022. During the period from 2012 to 2022, Central Asia and the Western Balkans saw increases, while the “Other” subgroup experienced a slight decline (while still maintaining a higher prevalence, at 40.7 percent).
  • The prevalence of low birthweight in the ECA region has declined at a slow pace since 2000 and remained well below the global level as of 2020, when it was estimated at 7.6 percent. In the ECA subregions, the highest prevalence of low birthweight was in the Caucasus (9.8 percent) and the “Other” subgroup (Andorra, Israel and Türkiye) (12.4 percent). The levels of low birthweight are lower than the world estimate in all ECA subregions.