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Fighting obesity is a serious challenge

“The findings of a recent study show that over 40 per cent of the women’s population in the UAE in the age group 20-79 are obese, compared to one fifth of the male population in the same age group,” said Dr Mariam Mattar, assistant under-secretary for Public Health Affairs and Primary Health Care at the Ministry of Health (MoH).

Dr Mattar’s statement followed a meeting at the MoH with directors of health education departments. She said a recent survey of visitors to primary health care centres in the country showed that while 32 per cent of women and 42 per cent of men were overweight, 42 per cent of women and 20 per cent of men were obese.

Dr Mattar called upon the people to stick to healthy diets and undergo routine medical tests to avoid health complications.

“The MoH exhorts people to adhere to regular medical check-ups to ascertain the percentage of fat in the blood and check the Body Mass Index (BMI). Adopting a healthy eating style is very important to avoid obesity and associated illnesses,” said Dr Mattar.

The official cautioned that the UAE society was seeing an alarming increase in chronic and contagious diseases caused by unhealthy lifestyles. About the steps being taken by the MoH to meet this challenge, Dr Mattar said.

• UAE