Obesity Rate Rises in KSA

According to the Saudi Diabetes and Endocrinology Society, obesity rate between men and women in the Saudi Arabia has been rising and it has reached 70%. The Society noted that recent studies showed that in middle aged men, 34% are obese, while in their women counterparts, the rate is 45%. Obesity is also starting to spread between children in their schools.

The society also warned about several factors that have been resulting in the elevation of obesity rate in the country, such as the marked rise in purchasing power in different sections of the Saudi society, along with increasing number of fast-food restaurants, changing in nutrition habits and lack of sports and physical activity. The head of the Society’s Health Education Unit, Dr. Basim Fota, noted that the reasons for increased obesity rate in the Kingdom are due to changes in nutrition habits throughout the last 30 years. He explained that adverse changes took place in both the quantity and quality of food, and he mentioned that fat amount was increased in food by four-folds.

Dr. Fota highlighted the role of the Society in fighting obesity, he said that it is holding a program titled “Your Family’s Health and Yours Depends on You,” to help women in preparing healthier food. The program is including educational workshops on how to practice healthy shopping, preparing healthy meals, nutritional analysis and evaluation of such meals, and managing health dining table during Ramadan.

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