Obesity Surges as Screens Replace Playgrounds: Experts

APP

Islamabad: Health experts have sounded the alarm over rising obesity rates in Pakistan, warning that the country is in the grip of a health emergency driven by sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets, and excessive screen time—especially among children.

Speaking at an Obesity Awareness Seminar organized by Getz Pharma at the Lahore Press Club, medical professionals cited alarming statistics: 81 percent of women and 74 percent of men in Pakistan are now classified as obese.

Experts emphasized that playgrounds are being replaced by screens, and poor lifestyle choices are fueling a surge in diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and joint disorders.

The seminar reinforced the World Health Organization’s classification of obesity as a disease, urging nationwide awareness campaigns to tackle the crisis.

Dr. Ghias Un Nabi Tayyab, Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Doctors Hospital, Lahore, said obesity is dangerously misunderstood in Pakistan. “More than 70 percent of our population is obese due to sugar-laden, fatty diets and lack of exercise,” he noted. He also highlighted a waistline above 35 inches in men and 31 inches in women as a clear sign of overweight.

“Diabetes is becoming common among people in their 20s and 30s,” Dr. Tayyab warned, advocating for high-protein, high-fiber diets and reduced consumption of fats, sugar, and refined carbohydrates.

Dr M. Imran Hassan Khan of the CPSP Academic Board explained that in Pakistan, a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 and 23 is considered normal, 23.1 to 25 signals overweight, and 25 to 30 qualifies as Class 1 obesity.

“Obesity is not just a lifestyle issue—it’s a disease influenced by genetics, diet, and inactivity,” he said, stressing the importance of media in dispelling cultural myths equating excess weight with good health.

Noted orthopedic surgeon Dr Tariq Sohail added that weight gain shifts the body’s center of gravity, weakens muscles, and increases the risk of fractures. “A poor diet is also making bones and joints more fragile,” he warned.

Experts called for early screening, healthy eating, daily exercise, and regular checkups to combat the obesity crisis, particularly among children increasingly glued to screens.