Aggressive efforts are needed to combat the prevalence of overweight and obesity in young people in Bahrain, said an expert.
According to studies, 50 per cent of the nation’s population aged under 20 is overweight while 40pc is obese.
These alarming figures call for concerted efforts to limit risk factors, such as Type 2 diabetes, in this age group, said consultant family physician and diabetologist Dr Amal Al Ghanem.
Failing in this would result in a future generation that would be a medical burden to society, she cautioned.
The GDN reported last week that Bahrain spends 15pc of its healthcare budget on medicines for diabetes.
“Obesity is 40pc and overweight is 50pc in this age group (below 20 years),” Dr Al Ghanem told the GDN.
“It’s a large number.
“More than 60pc to 70pc of obesity can be controlled or is a result of lifestyle and not necessarily because of family history.
“This means it’s changeable and we can control it.
“We must aggressively work towards limiting these risk factors which lead to Type 2 diabetes in this age group.
“We have to focus on the below 20 age group because if we do not address the risk factors at this age group, we will be catering to a population which will be a burden to the country’s economy in terms of health.
“We will have more diabetic and ischaemic heart disease patients.”
Dr Al Ghanem was speaking on the sidelines of the second Bahrain Diabetes and Endocrinology Review Conference (BDER 2020) at the Gulf Hotel Bahrain.
The two-day conference which gathered scores of experts in the field from across the globe concluded on Friday.
It was organised by the Royal Bahrain Hospital in collaboration with Arabian Gulf University, ICOM, QTC and Ebtikar.
“The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased among all age groups, including the adolescent and children,” said Dr Al Ghanem.
“We are expecting to have more numbers of Type 2 diabetes in this age group, unfortunately.
“This is not only in Bahrain but all over the world and the GCC.
“The aim is mainly how to keep these children within the normal range of weight, so that we can reduce the risk of having Type 2 diabetes in this age group.”
In the Gulf, Kuwait has the highest rate of obesity, with 36pc among males and 48pc among females, followed by the UAE with 25pc (males) and 42pc (females).
In Bahrain, the obesity rates are 20pc (males) and 38pc (females).
“Schools should be made to monitor the type of food children eat,” said Dr Al Ghanem, who is also a member of the Bahrain Diabetic Society.
“Consumption of high-calorie food such as sweets, aerated drinks and junk food should be reduced.
“We are focusing on changing the lifestyle of these children as well as encouraging parents to try to instil a healthy lifestyle in children.
“We also urge medics at the primary healthcare centres to screen people in this age group, especially if a child presents with possible risk factors like obesity or family history of Type 2 diabetes.
“Unfortunately, the trend (cases of Type 2 diabetes) is increasing compared to the previous years and hence we need to focus more on the risk factors.”
Dr Al Ghanem noted there were no official statistics related to the disease in this age group, which she said was important.
The GDN reported in November last year that the incidence of diabetes in children in Bahrain is expected to increase by six times in the coming years, as indicated by the available results of the National Health Survey 2018. According to the survey, 18pc of people aged above 20 years had diabetes, compared with 14.8pc in 2007.
Experts had reiterated that the increasing diabetes rate was mainly because of bad lifestyle, lack of exercise and unhealthy eating habits.
raji@gdn.com.bh
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