Abstract:
Background: Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally, with approximately 340 million children aged 5–19 living with overweight or obesity. In Qatar, combined overweight and obesity rates among children aged 5–14 rose from 44% in 2016–17 to 49.3% in 2019–20, with obesity alone affecting 27.7%. The multifactorial nature of the condition demands a response that cuts across sectors and systems.
Methods: This policy report was developed through a structured multisectoral process, including a closed ministerial roundtable and a stakeholder workshop convened through Qatar's Healthy Cities Network. An international benchmarking exercise examining international informed the development of a bespoke policy model for the Qatari context. Findings were reviewed and endorsed by the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH).
Results: The report proposes an intersectoral policy framework across six domains: food and nutrition, health sector practices, the built environment, school settings, the first 1,000 days, and family and community - with over 45 recommendations spanning regulations, guidelines, legislation, and behavioural interventions.
Conclusions and progress since publication: Effectively reducing childhood obesity requires a whole-of-government response. Progress since this report's launch demonstrates that evidence-based policy, paired with political will and multisectoral coordination, can deliver real change. Qatar's Shura Council has since taken a keen interest in the topic and held two follow-up meetings. The policy recommendations were discussed at Cabinet level and embedded in the National Action Plan on Diabetes, Obesity, and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease. The MOPH established a national taskforce with cross-ministry representation to drive implementation, with approximately 50% of recommendations now actioned, including the introduction of a tiered sugar-sweetened beverage tax. Qatar Foundation is additionally developing an updated policy briefing to assess progress, update international best practice, map current initiatives, and identify policy gaps and opportunities, proposing near-term interventions to pilot across Education City, with findings extrapolated to the national level. The update report will also review emerging evidence of impact from implemented policies and develop frameworks to support MOPH in monitoring these over time.
