By 2015, WHO
predicts that about 2.3 billion adults will be overweight and over 700
million people will be classified as obese. Now, 400 million people have
a body mass index exceeding 30kg/m² according to WHO criteria.
Obesity is not just a phenomenon that affects adults: in 2005, 20
million children under 5 years were overweight in the world. Obesity is a
recent, complex and highly worrying phenomenon.
Obesity is an epidemic of utmost importance in Arab world, especially
in the Gulf countries -KSA included. And Google Arab users behavior
confirms this trend. However, information is not missing on the Net and
health Websites (like this private one in Dubai) are increasing. Obesity is often seen as a developing countries disease due to changes in eating habits (high calorie diets) and more urban lifestyles.
| Country | Percentage of obese population | Country | Percentage of diabetic population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nauru | 78,50% | Nauru | 30,70% |
| Tonga | 56,00% | United Arab Emirates | 19,50% |
| Saudi Arabia | 35,60% | Saudi Arabia | 16,70% |
| United Arab Emirates | 33,70% | Bahrain | 15,20% |
| United States | 32,20% | Koweit | 14,40% |
| Bahrain | 28,90% | Oman | 13,10% |
| Koweit | 28,80% | Tonga | 12,90% |
| Seychelles | 25,10% | Mauritius | 11,10% |
| United Kingdom | 24,20% | Egypt | 11,00% |
Ranking of the countries with the highest percentages of obesity and diabetes (Source : Government Office for Science)
Obesity is a significant risk factor of
comorbidities and mortality, most importantly from cardiovascular
disease (CVD) and diabetes, but also from cancer and chronic diseases.
It is a social phenomenon and a major public health concern for MENA
countries.
In July 2009, Eric A. Finkelstein leaded a survey (available on Health Affairs)
about the correlation between the increase of obesity in the United
States and the one of health spending (MediCare, MediCaid and private
insurers).
The increased prevalence of obesity is responsible for almost $40 billion of increased medical spending through 2006, including $7 billion in Medicare prescription drug costs. We estimate that the medical costs of obesity could have risen to $147 billion per year by 2008.
Obesity: a significant risk factor of comorbidities (Source : http://www.dwp.gov.uk)
In the Middle East, figures are alarming
and governments (and private investors) are promoting solutions to
reverse the trend of obesity. However, tackling obesity raises a good
many questions.
In the Gulf countries (KSA included), obesity rate among women hits 70% (50% among males). Saudi Arabia opened a debate last year “over
women’s sports, particularly women’s gyms, physical education
instruction in girls’ schools, and competitive sports clubs for women.”
A controversial fatwa reminds that women should not go against Allah’s
will who created them to stay home and to educate their children
Public awareness campaigns to help tackle the issues of overweight and obesity are a major challenge. That is why, the Ministry of Health in UAE has launched a “No to Obesity” programme, which will include health awareness lectures, dietary practices and physical training programmes.
The problem of nutrition is obesity… and some severe nutrient deficiencies
We must bear in mind, as GAIN (Globale Alliance for Improve Nutrition) experts said in Dubai on May, 2010,
that the problem of nutrition in the Gulf states is obviously linked
with obesity but also with some severe nutrient deficiencies. Indeed, a
government report reveals that 35 percent of infants (6-22 months) are
suffering from anemia, while 41 percent of UAE women have a deficiency
of folic acid and 35 percent are obese.
Against obesity (and also to be slender
like famous movie stars and models), most women of all ages are seeking
out “slimming medications” usually including appetite suppressors, fat
burners or fat absorption inhibitors. In spite of the warnings against
the harmful side effects (welling in the stomach, anemia, low calcium
levels to inflammation, diarrhea, colon problems, heart palpitations or
nervous disorders), the lack of regulation and control allows to
purchase them everywhere (hairdresser, mall, etc.). The Jerusalem Post on July, 6, 2010
said that in many Middle Eastern countries slimming pills are loosely
regulated, giving rise to a vast market of unregulated and sometimes
dangerous pharmaceuticals, moreover when used in self-medication without
the monitoring of a professional.
The very interesting benchmarking analysis
made by Antoine Flahaut, chairman of EHESP, on his blog, deserves
special attention: he wonders about the French paradox (high fat diet
vs. good obesity figures and myocardial infarction). According to him, and to the experts of the Strategic Analysis Center regular eating habits are the main raisons of explanation. He follows the results of a study published on March 2010 in the Pediatrics review
showing that on 8550 American four-year-olds, those who regularly (5
times) ate dinner with the family, got enough sleep and watched less
than two hours of TV a day were 40 percent less likely to be obese.
Prevention and information are the crux
of the matter to tackle this epidemic. The partnership between all the
stakeholders (both institutional and private) is also a necessary
prerequisite for establish effective public health policies in the long
term against obesity. Nevertheless, these public policies to prevent
obesity have to be in it for the long term to change habits and
behavior.
Source: vincentfromentin.fr
Do you find yourself constantly eating?
Can’t resist food?
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Lead a hectic social life and often eating out in restaurants?
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