Obesity is increasing among the UAE citizens leading to serious health problems. As changes in lifestyles have become rampant, we may have to reconsider what is happening and the consequences it can bring upon. More people today are living sedentary lives than before. The result has been that people have become overweight; health officials around the world have called obesity the next major epidemic. More than one billion adults around the world are overweight and obese. In addition, childhood obesity has also reached proportions of an epidemic.

While genes have a major role to play in determining body weight, there are certainly other factors that affect the equation. For instance, even though there are enough nutrient-rich foods available in the world, people are increasingly consuming fattening foods such as fast foods and sweets. While the intake of calories has increased, we are no longer as active as before. This has resulted in our bodies burning less calories than we consume.

Being obese or overweight can bring upon a lot many health problems including some forms of cancer, diabetes, stroke, and heart diseases. Not only do these illnesses affect the quality of one’s life but they also can lead to premature death.

Obesity and overweight are both terms used to describe excess weight. But there is a minor difference between the two. To figure this out, one needs to calculate the Body Mass Index (popularly known as BMI). This index is determines how your weight is distributed against the square of your height. There are many BMI calculators online and you should find your BMI immediately.

In general,

• BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight.
• BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.

To keep obesity under control, an integrated approach works. This includes the following:

1. Developing healthy eating habits with good exercise.
2. Developing public health policies at the level of the government that allow for easy access to high-fibre and low-fat foods.
3. Training professionals in the healthcare sector to help people use excess weight and avoid putting on unhealthy weight.