Fight against obesity begins at home
When Mirhab S.’s doctor warned her of serious ill health in the coming days unless she lost weight, it got her really worried. Weighing nearly 90kg, most of which she had gained over the years after moving to the UAE, Mirhab said she went along with the lifestyle and indulged in consuming junk food and be less active physically.
But such weight gain did not bode well for her. She soon started developing body aches, eating disorder and couldn’t sleep well.
“It was a harrowing time for me. I had never felt unhealthier,” she said. It was then she decided it was time to take action. And today 20 kilos lesser, she is half way through her journey.
And Mirhab isn’t alone. In the UAE, at least 70 per cent of men and 67 per cent of women aged 15 years and older are considered overweight. Today, on the AntiObesity Day, the aim is to raise awareness of obesity as a public health hazard.
Nadina Andar Halabi, senior clinical dietitian, Emirates Hospital Wellness and Obesity Centre, said: “Obesity is a complex, multifaceted condition.”
She said that one way of controlling obesity is through the quantity and quality of food consumed during the day.
“Losing weight is not about strict eating or any type of dieting. It’s about eating healthy throughout most of the day in a mindful and intuitive way. We have to include food from various food groups such as fruits, vegetables, fibre-rich carbs, lean protein from animal and vegetarian origin, good fats, and dairy (if there are no existing allergies or intolerances)” she said.
Dr Ruchika, Mukherjee, associate medical director, MENA at Cigna Global Wellbeing Solutions, said: “Our chronic case management programme exposes us to a large number of insured members struggling to manage chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
“The importance of adopting a proactive approach cannot be emphasised enough here, because a lot of chronic illnesses are more as result of improper lifestyle choices than anything else; with each being pre-disposing factors to the other. Obesity, for example, if left untreated, can serve as a pre-disposing factor to other diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes,” she said.
Art Cozad, CEO for Middle East Markets, Cigna, added: “A good insurance plan is a critical element of this support system as it provides access to regular health examinations and a wider range of healthcare specialists.”
The UAE findings from 2017 Cigna 360° Wellbeing Survey re-
Obesity among children
Dedinition of obesity in children: Where body mass index is +2
Exercising is important for preventing weight problems. Kids need about 60 minutes of activities a day and they need help achieving this both in school and at home. Encourage them to join a school sports team or take part in school activities. After school, look into local after school clubs or sports teams; there are lots of fun ways for kids to do 60 minutes without making it a chore. Activities such as cycling, walking, playing tag, jumping rope or swimming and dancing are great activities to encourage your child to do exercise. vealed that one in five respondents tend to delay necessary health checks. This is almost counter-intuitive in a society where chronic conditions are clearly on the rise.
asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com
Exercise is more fun as a family! It should be encouraged and integrated in everyday family life. This can be small, incremental changes (Example: deciding to walk to school rather than taking the car), to bigger changes (Example: family trips to the swimming pool or going on a family bike ride).
Reducing the amount of time kids spend in front of a screen, such as a computer, television or video game consoles is also beneficial.
All the family need to be on board with a healthy ‘get fit, get active’ attitude so the child doesn’t feel odd or singled out. This will soon make this healthy attitude a normal, everyday part of family life.
It’s important that the body is fuelled correctly to feel benefits of doing exercise. Make sure family are eating healthy and properly portioned meals every day. Watch out of sugary snacks and drinks in between meals and instead snack on fruit or nuts and drink water where necessary.
Obesity among adults
Obesity is a metabolically active state which leads to several health conditions such as: > Heart disease > Dyslipidemia > Sleep apnea > Hypertension > Type 2 Diabetes > Certain cancers such as colon, liver, breast > Gall bladder disease > Stroke > Osteoarthritis > Body pain > Depression and anxiety