RIYADH, 21 June 2005 — Local health care professionals and nutritionists have welcomed the early results of a pan-Arab campaign to tackle obesity and raise awareness of the dangers of a lifestyle that encourages obesity.
Launched in March of this year, the “iDecide” anti-obesity campaign now has support from the medical and patient communities in the Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt and the majority of the Gulf states, largely because of its “weight loss starts from within” message.
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 is either obese or overweight which includes 70 percent of the child population.
“Lifestyle, food habits and lack of exercise are main contributors to this problem,” Amany Al-Imam of the Ministry of Health told Arab News, adding that sitting before the television for hours, eating junk food and consuming large quantities of high carbohydrate foods are also contributory factors.
Over 10,000 presentation packs have been distributed in a three-month period, to help patients begin the weight loss process.
A major theme of the campaign is the important role that doctors can play in helping patients to develop a full program for weight loss, once they have made the decision to lose weight.
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. However, according to a number of specialists in the field, patients must first be encouraged through public awareness programs to see their physicians.
“Doctors can play an important role in helping patients to tackle obesity, and, by encouraging patients to visit their physician, the ‘iDecide’ campaign is providing people with an essential resource to manage their obesity,” said Amer Haddadin of Abbott Laboratories, one of the health care groups that are supporting the campaign.
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. The campaign will involve a series of activities with patient groups and other health care organizations.
