Elderly Fitness Revolution: Combating Obesity in Uganda with Joy and Community

In Kivubuka, a village in eastern Uganda, an innovative fitness program is bringing joy and health benefits to elderly women. Clad in floor-length dresses and wrap-around skirts, they giggle and tease as they jog hand-in-hand across playing fields, aiming to combat non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes.

As obesity rates climb among Ugandan women, with numbers rising from 4% to 10.4% in recent decades, these fitness clubs offer a community-driven solution. Jane Anonyaalaba, a participant, recounts her personal transformation, from grappling with high blood pressure and fatigue to renewed vitality and activity.

The initiative, organized by the Gabula Royal Foundation, highlights the broader health challenge in Africa where 17% of women and 6.8% of men face obesity. Amid urbanization and dietary changes, this program provides a promising model for similar efforts across the continent.

(With inputs from agencies.)