The global rise in obesity presents a significant public health challenge, with South Africa ranking among the countries with the highest prevalence¹. Current projections indicate a steep increase in obesity rates, with a predicted rise of 47.7% in females and 23.3% in males by 2025¹. This surge in obesity contributes to the escalation of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular diseases, and hypertension¹.

Even in the absence of metabolic comorbidities like high blood pressure, individuals with...