{
  "id": 28247,
  "title": "#Aids2026 | What HIV got right — but obesity still hasn’t",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/24/aids2026-what-hiv-got-right-but-obesity-still-hasnt",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-07-24T02:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Bhekisisa",
    "slug": "bhekisisa",
    "url": "https://bhekisisa.org/opinion/2026-07-24-what-hiv-got-right-but-obesity-still-hasnt/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As thousands of scientists, activists, and policymakers convene in Rio de Janeiro for the 26th International AIDS Conference, the primary focus will undoubtedly be on safeguarding the progress made against HIV, despite significant global funding cuts. While the concern surrounding HIV is crucial, a key lesson from the HIV response extends far beyond its scope. Four influential HIV activists from South Africa have pointed out that we must not repeat the mistakes of our past when dealing with obesity, which has now emerged as one of the country's most pressing health challenges.\n\nOne such activist, who spoke out through tears in 2019, questioned her doctor about her inability to stop gaining weight despite effective HIV treatment. Her HIV medication was working correctly, but the suppression of her virus to undetectable levels led to rapid weight gain. This issue is a prevalent concern in South Africa, where obesity rates are on the rise, and costly weight-loss drugs are becoming increasingly sought after. People are turning to unregistered and unsafe weight loss products on social media platforms, such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok, often at prices that make them appealing to those with limited access to legal alternatives.\n\nThe situation resembles an earlier stigma faced by South Africans, when dramatic weight loss was often seen as a sign of HIV. Many people put off testing or treatment due to fear of stigma associated with an HIV diagnosis. The political denialism that followed only exacerbated the crisis, resulting in unnecessary suffering and deaths. Eventually, science triumphed, but it was activism that ultimately transformed South Africa's approach to HIV, acknowledging it as a medical condition requiring rights, evidence-based care, and access to treatment.\n\nNow, South Africa faces a different form of stigma rooted in similar assumptions. Just as with HIV, weight stigma in South Africa is built on flawed beliefs: that people with larger bodies lack self-control, overindulge in food, and are too lazy to exercise. However, research now demonstrates that obesity, like high blood pressure and raised blood sugar, is a progressive disease that often requires treatment and is influenced by genetics, environment, and a changing food supply—rather than merely a matter of personal choices.",
  "summary": "As delegates gather in Rio de Janeiro for the International Aids Conference next week, one of the biggest lessons from HIV has nothing to do with a virus. South Africa has already learned what happens when stigma keeps people away from life-changing treatment. Now, as obesity rises and effective medicines remain out of reach for most people, we're at risk of making the same mistakes all over…",
  "key_points": [
    "HIV activists warn against repeating obesity mistakes of past",
    "Undetectable HIV levels cause rapid weight gain in South Africa",
    "Weight stigma parallels past HIV stigma, demanding activism"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}