Turkey declares war on obesity by starting street weighing of citizens

Turkey has launched a large-scale campaign against obesity. On the streets of cities people are weighed and given medical advice.

As it turned out, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan launched an unusual and ambitious initiative to fight obesity. As part of the state campaign “Find out your weight – live healthy” millions of citizens of the country will be publicly weighed right on the streets.

Sanitation officers have appeared in parks, at bus stops and even at the entrances to soccer stadiums. They stop passers-by, measure their height and weight, and then calculate their body mass index (BMI). If the index is 25 or higher, the person is referred to medical specialists for recommendations on weight loss.

The authorities plan to weigh about 10 million people – almost an eighth of the country’s population – by July 10 this year. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the risks associated with being overweight and motivate people to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 30 percent of Turkish citizens are obese – almost double the European Union average. By comparison, in Germany the figure is around 19%.

The number of overweight and obese people has more than tripled since 1975, and the trend continues to gain momentum. Whereas in the past obesity was perceived as a problem of individual countries or as a consequence of affluence and excessive food, today it is common even in low- and middle-income countries. Globalization, urbanization, changing lifestyles and eating habits have made overweight a mass phenomenon among all segments of the population, including children and adolescents.

Experts predict that by 2050, more than half of the world’s population will be overweight or obese. A study by the World Cancer Research Fund shows that “obesity is becoming one of the leading risk factors for mortality, behind only tobacco smoking.”

However, the campaign has sparked mixed reactions. Controversy has erupted on social media. Many fear that street weighing could become not just intrusive, but humiliating. People express fears that such measures will be coercive and the results will be voiced publicly, and this may cause moral and psychological damage to people.

The government has not yet given a clear answer whether participation in the program will be strictly voluntary. It is noted that the main emphasis is on prevention and public awareness.

Whether the initiative will be effective or turn into a scandal – time will tell. But one thing is clear that Turkey has staked on health, choosing a very unconventional way.

Opposition Turkish Minute criticizes the initiative for working with individual patients rather than systemic problems that lead to the spread of obesity. Among the causes of obesity, experts cite rising food prices, agricultural policies and the current government’s regulation of the food industry.

Turkish Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said his body mass index is also above 24.9. He publicly promised to go on a diet and walk more.

The head of the Health Ministry emphasized that the aim of the project is to form a society that preserves health without waiting for the disease to develop. The Ministry intends to raise the level of medical literacy and strengthen healthy lifestyle habits among the population.

Health Point World Clinic (Dr Soho & Health Point Clinic) Turkey,IstanbulLeave a request

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Published: 23.05.2025

Updated: 23.05.2025

Medical author, Medical editor:

Stepan Yuk

Medical expert:

PhD. Olexandr Voznyak