Obesity is a serious disease
The recognition of obesity as a disease was in theory established by WHO (World Health Organization) and recognized by many Medical Associations globally which highlighted its crucial role in the current unmanageable and escalating medical costs globally.
Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975 which led to use of the term “epidemic of Obesity” underscoring the significant rise in prevalence. Now approximately 2.1 billion people, nearly 30% of the world’s population, are either obese or overweight. However 41 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese and over 340 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 were overweight or obese in 2016.
Over the 33-year period of research, the Middle East showed large increases in obesity. Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait were among the countries with the largest increases in obesity globally.
In six countries, all in the Middle East and Oceania – Kuwait, Kiribati, the Federated States of Micronesia, Libya, Qatar, and Samoa – the prevalence of obesity for women exceeds 50%. In Bahrain it is estimated that more than 60% of adults are overweight or obese.
Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. The Body mass index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults. It is defined as a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of his height in meters (kg/m2). For adults, WHO defines overweight and obesity as follows:
Overweight is a BMI greater than or equal to 25; and obesity is a BMI greater than or equal to 30.
BMI provides the most useful population-level measure of overweight and obesity as it is the same for both sexes and for all ages of adults.
The fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. Globally, there has been an increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat; and an increase in physical inactivity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization.
Obesity is a major risk factor for noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart disease and stroke), which were the leading cause of death in 2012; Diabetes; musculoskeletal disorders (especially osteoarthritis – a highly disabling degenerative disease of the joints); Respiratory diseases, Infertility, Depression and more than 13 types of cancers (including endometrial, breast, ovarian, prostate, liver, gallbladder, kidney, and colon). Obese people have shorter life compared to healthier population and Obesity is considered the leading cause of preventable death.
Released for World Obesity Day (11th October), the data show that 2.7 billion adults globally are expected to suffer from obesity and overweight by 2025. Investing in the prevention, early intervention and treatment of obesity will significantly reduce the costs of treating the various non-communicable diseases linked to obesity
At the individual level, people can limit energy intake, increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as legumes, whole grains and nuts; and engage in regular physical activity (60 minutes a day for children and 150 minutes spread through the week for adults). Now, medication approved for Obesity are available in Bahrain (Saxenda) which is only available drug and with established efficacy and safety for those who needs the extra support for weight loss and maintenance.
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