40% Children Struggle with Obesity Crisis: Experts

News Desk

Peshawar: Health experts at a seminar in Peshawar on Monday revealed that 40 per cent of children in Pakistan are either overweight or obese, attributing the alarming trend to sedentary lifestyles, excessive screen time, and unhealthy diets.

The event, held in connection with World Diabetes Day 2023, brought together policymakers, government departments, UN agencies, NGOs, academia, medical associations, media, and corporations to develop a joint call for action on diabetes and obesity prevention, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles.

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Dr. AH Aamir, Project Director of D-TALK and Insulin for Life Programme, briefed participants on the growing challenge of diabetes and obesity in Pakistan, emphasizing government efforts in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to improve public health.

The Danish Ambassador to Pakistan, H.E. Jakob Linulf, praised KP’s proactive approach, while Novo Nordisk Pakistan Vice President Rashed Rafique Butt stressed the importance of public-private partnerships to tackle chronic diseases like diabetes.

Citing studies, experts noted that the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children has surged in recent years. According to the 2018 Pakistan Health Commission report, over 11 per cent of children were overweight and more than 5 per cent were obese—a figure that has now increased dramatically.

The seminar was organised jointly by Novo Nordisk Pakistan, the Embassy of Denmark in Pakistan, and Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar.