Obesity spreading like a plague, warns DUHS VC Saeed Qureshi

News Desk 

Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) Vice Chancellor Prof Muhammad Saeed Qureshi has said that obesity is spreading like a plague.

It is only recently. Outbreaks appear to be exacerbated during this period. At present, about 40% of the population in Pakistan is obese.

He expressed these views while addressing an awareness seminar organized by the School of Public Health, Dow University of Health Sciences and Primary Care Diabetes Association (PCDA) on the occasion of World Obesity Day.

If the spread of obesity is not controlled it will develop into an epidemic on par Covid-19, Said, Prof Muhammad Saeed Qureshi

Prof Saeed Qureshi said that obesity was not a common problem in our region. It was common among adults in western countries and was transmitted from them to children. Laziness and excessive use of electronic gadgets are some of the main contributory factors.

Prof Nusrat Shah said that obesity is a growing public health challenge affecting both children and adults. Childhood obesity is a serious concern, lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating habits are major contributors to childhood obesity.

Obesity has always been around but now it is on the rise among children and youth. He said that in some quarters it is held that obesity is hereditary but it’s spread in our country is not hereditary. I remember that when we were young, we used to play, run and jump in streets and open fields. Now children spend all their time glued to their mobiles, laptops and TVs.

Poor and imbalanced diet – decreased intake of vegetables and fruits – along with lack of Physical inactivity are some of the main reasons for people becoming obese.

Obesity is also on the rise in Pakistan. Addressing the root causes of obesity would benefit society and will give a chance to everyone to live a more healthier, happier, and longer lives.

Prof Kashif Shafique said that in 2016, around 2 billion adults were reported to be overweight. Of these, over 650 million were obese.

Most of the world’s population live in countries where overweight and obesity kill more people than being underweight. Obesity amongst children, he informed that 39 million children less than 5 years of age were overweight in 2020 which predisposes them to complications of obesity such as diabetes and hypertension at a younger age.

Physical inactivity, decrease in the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grain along with the increase in the consumption of processed meat products are amongst some of the key reasons the upward trend in people being overweight and over obese stated Prof Shafique

Principal School of Public Health & Director ORIC Prof Kashif Shafique said that Obesity is one of the biggest public health challenges facing the world today that leads to multiple complications like diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, heart diseases, and some cancers also.

In 2016, around 2 billion adults were reported to be overweight. Of these, over 650 million were obese: Prof Kashif Shafique

According to recent data, 800 million people worldwide are obese. In 2016, around 2 billion adults were reported to be overweight. Of these, over 650 million were obese. Obesity has almost tripled worldwide since 1975.

National Institute of Diabetes & Endocrinology, DUHS Assistant Professor Dr Zareen Kiran said that Obesity continues to be among the top health concerns across the globe.  Obesity is a complex multifactorial disease that accumulated excess body fat leads to negative effects on health. Obesity continues to accelerate resulting in an unprecedented epidemic that shows no significant signs of slowing down any time soon.

Raised body mass index (BMI) is a risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and musculoskeletal disorders, resulting in dramatic decrease of life quality and expectancy. The main cause of obesity is long-term energy imbalance between consumed calories and expended calories, DUHS Assistant Professor Dr Zareen Kiran

The main cause of obesity is long-term energy imbalance between consumed calories and expended calories: DUHS Assistant Professor Dr Zareen Kiran

Nida Jawed (RDN), Director BS Nutrition program, SPH DUHS, emphasized on adapting healthy lifestyle behaviours which includes adequate dietary intake and physical activity as successful interventions in the management of obesity.

However these behaviors are influenced by many factors. Therefore, a holistic approach may be more successful. A multidisciplinary team including a registered dietitian/ nutritionist could be present to assist in weight management.

Dr. Fareed Uddin from the National Institute of Diabetes & Endocrinology, DUHS, said that obesity is associated with poorer physical and mental health outcomes.

Therefore, achieving and maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise can help to manage or reverse some of the serious conditions associated with obesity, such as hypertension and type-2 diabete

Pakistan Panel Household Survey conducted in 16 districts of Pakistan

Source: Pakistan Panel Household Survey