A modern epidemic

I believe education and lifestyle change are required to halt the epidemic of diabetes (‘Diabesity: the new global epidemic’, November 15).

I work as a weight-loss coach at a holistic centre in Dubai and use hypnotherapy and NLP techniques to help overweight teenagers who are desperate to lose weight.

In my experience, I’ve realised it is a far more complex issue than simply where they live.

Very often emotional eating is the main reason behind a teenager’s battle with weight-related health problems. If a teenager is unable to cope with emotional stress, they may use food as a way to make themselves feel better.

Problems or pressure at school, in society or at home within the family all contribute to the emotional challenges that an adolescent faces. They seek comfort in food, gain weight and a vicious circle begins.

I think it is vital that children are taught the basics of food and nutrition from an early age so they understand completely that they are what they eat. I was horrified when I read about the shockingly high rate of diabetes in the Middle East. To think that almost 20 per cent of the population suffers from it made me really nervous about our future.

We all know of people who are suffering from the condition but never think that it could one day affect us if we are not careful about what we eat and the way we live.

As parents and responsible citizens, we should commit to leading a healthy life that includes making healthy choices when we go out to eat and exercising regularly.

We need to be role models for our children so they follow in our footsteps and realise the importance of healthy living. I thought the article on FOMO – the fear of missing out – was very interesting (‘Have you got FOMO?’ November 15). I feel all of us are not only surrounded by people who are suffering from this modern epidemic, thanks to social media, but it also affects us at some point.

I am constantly posting pictures on Instagram and tweeting about every little detail that’s happening around me just so I don’t feel left out. I admit that in the pprocess I’ve begun to embellish the truth just so my friends think I’m always having a fun time.

Sometimes I’d love to just sit in front of the TV and relax! But of course I can’t – because I’d probably miss out on all the excitement.