Between 50% and 60% of Israeli adults are now categorized as overweight or obese, costing the economy about NIS 30 billion ($10 billion) per year, says MK Tsega Melaku (Likud), the acting chair of the Knesset Health Committee, at a committee hearing today.
The committee calls for an immediate investment of NIS 100-200 million ($30 to 70 million) for prevention and treatment, an increase from the current budget of NIS 17 million ($6 million) for 2026.
In Arab society, obesity rates are higher than among Jews, and among Ethiopian immigrants, there has been a dramatic increase of diabetes diagnoses — both type one and type two — from 0.4% in 1991 to 14% today.
While 18.8% of first graders are classified as overweight or obese, that number jumps to 31.4% by the seventh grade.
The committee also asks the Health Ministry to make information about obesity prevention and treatment culturally and linguistically accessible, to promote legislation that will limit the advertising of harmful foods, and to incentivize the opening of more clinics for obesity in the periphery.
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From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
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