RIYADH, 3 April 2005 — Health groups across the Middle East including the Kingdom have joined hands to launch “iDecide”, a program that aims to provide direct medical support for people who want to lose weight in a coordinated anti-obesity program.
With the slogan, “Weight Loss Starts from Within”, the campaign will involve a series of activities with patient groups and health care organizations.
New World Health Organization (WHO) figures reveal that obesity levels in the Middle East continue to rise, with more than 50 percent of the population afflicted by the chronic condition. In the Kingdom, 52 percent of the Saudi population are either obese or overweight which includes 70 percent of the child population.
As part of the iDecide campaign, the chairman of the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), Professor Philip James will meet with doctors from Saudi Arabia, as well as from Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates to share insights into new techniques for managing obesity.
“In the 21st century, obesity has become an epidemic, and the consequences of ignoring the issue are increasing levels of serious illness and rising health costs. The links between overweight and obesity and a range of other serious diseases from diabetes and heart disease to cancer are now more clearly understood, yet little is being done to tackle this worldwide problem effectively,” said Professor James.
“Lifestyle, food habits and lack of exercise mainly contribute to this problem,” Amany Al-Imam of the Ministry of Health said, adding that sitting before the television for long hours and eating junk food seated in one place and consuming plenty of carbohydrate foods are other reasons for obesity.
The iDecide campaign aims to reach out to people concerned about their weight, and encourage them to visit their doctors to discuss the condition. Medical intervention can be one of the most effective forms of support for obese people, yet many patients are reluctant to visit their doctor, because of embarrassment or concern that their condition will not be treated seriously.
Part of the challenge in the Middle East is that relatively high level of disposable income, changes in dietary habits, sedentary lifestyles, and demographic changes have combined to make obesity “one of this generation’s biggest challenges”.
According to Professor Muhammad Aboulghate of the Egyptian Medical Group for the Study of Obesity, “cases of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and joint ailments are often linked with obesity in the region. However, as more people in the Middle East have now become aware of the effects of obesity, doctors, government ministries, and public health groups are banding together to find solutions to this issue.”
He said according to research with physicians, “almost two-thirds of medically-supported anti-obesity programs begin when the patient approaches the doctors for help. The iDecide campaign aims to encourage people to feel confident in speaking with their doctor about the issue.”
iDecide will offer a range of tools to help patients become mentally prepared to ask for help, and to pursue a course of action which will help them to manage their weight effectively.
