Philips, a global leader in health and well-being, is introducing the Airfryer XL to meet the needs of families in the Middle East who want to cook healthier food at home.

Since its launch in 2010, the Airfryer has is claimed to have proven extremely popular in the region, allowing people to enjoy tasty fried food with up to 80 percent less fat than traditional frying and without the need to add oil. Now, the Airfryer XL meets the needs of larger families with a capacity to cook 50 percent more, which is up to 1.2 kg in one go, using the same revolutionary Philips Rapid Air technology. "The Philips technology is proven to be the healthiest way to eat fried foods compared to any other conventional appliance in the market," the company stated.

Compiled data from the World Health Organization (WHO) for adults, aged above 15 years, from the region show the highest levels of overweight in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE, where the prevalence of overweight/obesity is reported to be over 70 percent, particularly among women.

The escalating level of overweight and obesity among children is of particular concern, where prevalence of obesity among school children is increasing. The region has higher rates of physical inactivity than other regions. About 50 percent of women and more than a third of men are insufficiently active.

Dr. Ruquiya Alusmani, clinical dietitian, diabetic educator and supervisor of public education, stated: “Taking steps to prevent and control the health issues plaguing our region, should be our number one priority. Leading a healthy lifestyle doesn’t mean that people need to take extreme measures and struggle or deprive themselves. Making small changes in cooking methods is one great step to ensure the entire family eats healthy. Philips today is offering smart changes and choices in healthy cooking.”