Alarming Data: One in Two Adults in Israel Lives with Overweight or Obesity

About 50% of adults in Israel live with overweight or obesity, and approximately 23% are classified as obese. This emerges from data released by Maccabi Healthcare Services, which also indicates that about 26% of children suffer from overweight or obesity.

Maccabi warns that according to the 2026 World Obesity Atlas, 764 million adults worldwide are living with overweight and obesity, alongside 157 million children and adolescents. Notably, the report highlights that for the first time in history, the number of children and adolescents (ages 5-19) living with obesity exceeds the number of those who are underweight globally.

These findings underscore the importance of accessible digital tools that assist Israelis in adopting healthy eating habits. As part of its preventive medicine initiatives, Maccabi launched a nutrition coach app about nine months ago, which has already attracted 100,000 users.

The digital coach, powered by artificial intelligence, assists members in maintaining a balanced diet. Since its launch, about 34,000 users have uploaded meal photos for nutritional analysis, resulting in over half a million interactions—an average of more than 50,000 per month. Users perform an average of 11 actions per week, indicating consistent use for tracking meals, protein intake, and receiving nutritional guidance.

"The data shows that this is not just a one-time experience, but consistent use that helps people be more aware of their nutritional choices and make healthier decisions," noted Limor Tal Poni, chief nutritionist at Maccabi Healthcare Services.

"It is exciting to see how technological tools contribute to a healthy lifestyle. However, it is important to emphasize that the digital coach does not replace professional nutritional advice in medical cases, but it is certainly a significant tool for increasing awareness and daily support."