Related: UAE diabetes bill could soon exceed $3.4 billion
At current growth rates, around 7.5 million people in the UAE are expected to be overweight or obese by 2035, with associated costs expected to reach $12 billion annually, according to a report by the World Obesity Federation.
The figures, released to mark World Obesity Day on March 4, are a stark warning of future health problems unless urgent action is taken.
National obesity management standards were first introduced in 2008 to control mountaineering rates, alongside strategies to eradicate polio and prevent cervical cancer.
Key barriers to obesity management include recognition of obesity as a disease and education of health care professionals and affected individuals.
Dr Sara Slimane, Consultant Endocrinologist
The anti-obesity campaign included a tax on sugar, a month dedicated to health and activity, and more women-only fitness facilities.
Although many health campaigns in the emirate have been hailed as successful, the UAE continues to face an increase in the number of people who are overweight or obese.
A quarter of adults in the United Arab Emirates now live with obesity, with Dubai having the highest rates at 22% and Ajman and Fujairah at 39%.
According to the report, approximately 40% of children in the UAE are currently obese or overweight, and in 2019, the number of deaths directly related to overweight or obesity was 7,622.
Meanwhile, the economic impact of obesity in the UAE is expected to reach almost 5 percent of GDP by 2035, according to the federation's annual World Obesity Atlas.
“As in most countries, fragmented and siled efforts have meant that the business-as-usual costs associated with obesity continue to rise in the UAE, with the number of people living with obesity continuing to rise and the associated disability and mortality. “This means that the economic impact is expected to increase due to the disease,” said Johanna Ralston, chief executive of the World Obesity Federation.
“It is time for the UAE to start and, armed with this new data, take decisive steps to turn the tide on the obesity epidemic.
“This data presents a unique opportunity for policymakers to implement new strategies aimed at reducing obesity and its associated economic burden.”
worldwide trend
Global trends are following a similar pattern to the UAE, with 750 million children aged 5 to 19 expected to be overweight or obese by 2035, most of them in middle-income countries. live in
A high body mass index (BMI) is associated with many early indicators of health problems later in life. These include high blood pressure and hyperglycemia, which increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease in adulthood.
The World Obesity Atlas also found that the number of overweight people is increasing rapidly in countries with rapidly expanding economies.
Data shows that a high BMI is also linked to a worsening global environmental crisis, with greenhouse gas emissions, urbanization, plastic waste, lack of physical activity and consumption of animal products all contributing to obesity. It plays a role in creating an unhealthy environment.
“Some countries in the Mena region have made great strides in the treatment and management of obesity,” said Dr Sara Suliman, consultant endocrinologist and diabetologist at Imperial College London Diabetes Center in Abu Dhabi.
“For example, the UAE has introduced standards of care for obesity management since 2008.
“However, as a region with some of the highest obesity rates, we have set up a working group with the support of the World Obesity Federation, soon to become a registered association, to create uniform guidelines, support education and help reduce obesity. We are raising awareness about obesity and how best to tackle it.
“Major barriers to obesity management include recognition of obesity as a disease, education of health care professionals, affected individuals and their families, clear management guidelines, and support from all sectors involved in obesity prevention and management. I will.”
Broader access to diabetes drugs associated with weight loss, such as Ozempic and Munjaro, could play an important role in reducing the effects of obesity.
These drugs have similar effects to bariatric surgery, and the doctors also said they can reduce the prevalence of diabetes by making healthy long-term lifestyle choices that patients need to maintain. .
surgical options
A recent study co-authored by Dr. Ari Arminian, director of the Metabolic and Obesity Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, suggests that surgery may result in important hormonal changes that make diabetes easier to control. There is.
“Effective treatment of obesity is likely to improve not only high cholesterol and high blood pressure, but also related conditions such as diabetes,” Dr. Arminian says.
“We wanted to compare the impact of weight loss surgery on diabetes with medications and lifestyle changes commonly used in diabetes management.
“Our findings confirm those of many smaller studies and demonstrate that bariatric surgery leads to superior diabetes control compared to medical and lifestyle interventions.
“After bariatric surgery, fewer diabetes medications were required and more patients achieved diabetes remission than patients in the medication and lifestyle intervention group.
“Surgery can be a great option for eligible patients with diabetes and obesity, especially those with a very high BMI and who are not as responsive to medications.”
Updated: March 4, 2024, 3:11 a.m.
