Half of Israeli Adults Live with Overweight or Obesity, Maccabi Data Shows

Recent data from Maccabi Health Services reveals that approximately 50% of Israeli adults suffer from overweight or obesity, with about 23% classified as obese. Additionally, around 26% of Israeli children face similar challenges with excess weight or obesity. These findings align with the 2026 Global Obesity Atlas, which reports that worldwide, 764 million adults and 157 million children and adolescents live with overweight or obesity. Notably, for the first time in history, the number of children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 with obesity surpasses those who are underweight globally.

Maccabi emphasizes the importance of accessible digital tools to promote healthy eating habits and maintain a balanced lifestyle. As part of its preventive medicine and healthy living initiatives, Maccabi launched a digital nutrition coach app about nine months ago, which has already been used by roughly 100,000 members. This AI-based coach assists users in managing their diet and lifestyle, with over 34,000 users uploading meal photos for nutritional analysis and more than half a million interactions recorded, averaging over 50,000 monthly engagements.

Users typically perform around 11 actions per week on the app, indicating consistent use for meal tracking, protein intake monitoring, receiving dietary recommendations, and managing eating routines. Maccabi notes that while the digital coach supports daily awareness and healthy habits, it does not replace professional nutritional advice in medical cases. The organization highlights the positive impact of integrating technology in promoting healthier lifestyles among Israelis.