Türkiye’s culinary capitals lead in obesity, diabetes rates

DİYARBAKIR

Türkiye’s celebrated culinary capitals, provinces famed for their rich, indulgent cuisines, are also topping a far less enviable ranking: Obesity and diabetes prevalence.

According to Professor Eşref Araç of Dicle University, the southeastern provinces of Adana, Şanlıurfa and Gaziantep — all internationally recognized for their gastronomic heritage — rank first, second and third respectively for obesity and diabetes rates nationwide.

“These provinces are culinary strongholds. Where food culture is deeply rooted and portions are generous, obesity tends to follow, especially when physical activity declines,” Araç said in remarks marking World Obesity Day on March 4.

Türkiye now leads Europe in obesity prevalence, he noted, a reversal from previous years when the country ranked lower. The rise has been observed across genders and age groups. In parallel, Türkiye has become Europe’s leading country in diabetes incidence over the past two years, a development Araç links directly to excess weight.

“Obesity equals diabetes,” he said, warning that Type 2 diabetes becomes significantly more likely as body mass index rises.

Following the top three provinces, high rates are also recorded in Mersin, Konya, Kayseri, Malatya, Kahramanmaraş, Diyarbakır and Hatay — many likewise known for robust regional cuisines.

Obesity is classified as a non-communicable epidemic of the 21st century. It also predisposes individuals to cardiovascular illness, hypertension, elevated cholesterol, orthopedic disorders, psychological distress, gallbladder disease and numerous cancers.

Among obese diabetic patients, the risk of pancreatic cancer increases up to sixfold, Araç said.

The trend among children and adolescents is particularly alarming. Obesity rates in the 4-19 age group have climbed from around 4 percent before 1980 to nearly 20 percent today — a fivefold increase.

Nationwide, one in three adults is obese, and nearly 75 percent of the population has some form of weight abnormality. Projections suggest that by 2030, as many as 44-45 million people in Türkiye could be living with obesity.

Direct text messages target 10 million overweight citizens

In response, the Health Ministry has intensified intervention efforts. Approximately 10 million citizens recorded in the family physician system as overweight or obese have received SMS invitations to attend state-run Healthy Life Centers offering free consultations with dietitians and physiotherapists.

Nearly 350 centers operate nationwide, supported by an “end-to-end” monitoring system that tracks at-risk individuals and encourages attendance.

In recent years, the ministry has already conducted large-scale height and weight screenings in public spaces under a health campaign, registering millions of citizens and referring those at risk to preventative care services as part of its national obesity action plan.