Obesity rate 36 per cent in those above 40 years

Muscat, Oct 21 - Obesity rates among those above 40 years reached 36 per cent in the Sultanate in 2016, which means there were 164,000 in this age-group, said Dr Noor al Busaidy, Director, National Diabetes and Endocrine Center (NDEC), citing the World Health Organization. The prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in the Sultanate is currently about 60 per cent of the total adult population. Furthermore, obesity is a global disease with increasing rates in adults and children worldwide. Dr Al Busaidy was speaking at the First Oman Obesity Conference, organised by the Ministry of Health (MoH), in collaboration with the Oman Diabetes Association and the Embassy of the United States of America in Oman, which began at Crowne Plaza Hotel – Qurum on Saturday. MoH was represented by the National Diabetes and Endocrine Center (NDEC).

The opening of the two-day conference was held under the auspices of Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed al Saeedi, Minister of Health. Dr Al Saeedi said obesity is seeing constant rise in the world, especially in the eastern Mediterranean region and the Gulf countries. “If the disease is not controlled now, it will exacerbate and lead to several health, social and economic problems,” he added. The conference will discuss obesity disease, diagnosis methods and treatment, related researches, important results of studies, raising/promoting efficiency of health workers and therapeutic feeding for obesity.

Lectures will also touch on non-surgical interventions in the treatment of obesity, clinical treatment options for weight gain, therapeutic protocols for obesity and obesity in children and women. The meet has gathered experts in the field of obesity treatment and surgery from Oman, USA, the UK and France. As many as 200 medical professionals, nurses and dieticians are attending. NDEC, in tie-up with Oman Diabetes Association, seeks to achieve the objectives of obesity control by “promoting awareness of a healthy lifestyle”, strengthening prevention aspects and reducing rate of diseases related to obesity.