recently study In a medical magazine Rancet A dramatic rise in obesity and overweight status has been found in the Middle East, especially among young people. National It has been reported On Monday, he also suffered severe malnutrition, highlighting the contrast of the region.
on the other hand, Yemen For much of the decade, the wealthy population of the oil-rich Gulf countries, on the brink of hunger, has seen a dramatic increase in disposable income and the availability of unhealthy foods, particularly imported fast foods at luxury destinations such as Dubai and Kuwait. Countries that have suffered from a high rate of poverty by generations have yet to adapt governments and education policies to address the prevalence of unhealthy foods and the lack of a movement culture, research shows.
The study focuses on overweight and obese people around the world, and found that places like the Middle East, as well as Latin America, face an increase in obesity rates as they generate more wealth.
Nationalbased in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the study reported that “scientists hope that the Middle East will overtake North America if the “surprising” trend in weight gain continues over the past 30 years.”
The newspaper spoke with Susan Sawyer, one of his research collaborators. “The Middle East and North Africa, along with Latin America and the Caribbean, are two regions of the world that have seen the fastest growth in the last 30 years,” he warned.
“By the middle of the century, forecasts show that 55% of young people in the region (ages 5-24) will be overweight or obese,” the newspaper observes, emphasizing that the figure is higher than the figures in the US and Canada. “In some Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, more than 70% of young people are expected to become overweight or obese.”
This study used data from 180 countries to assess weight trends in particular young people since 1990, and projected the next 30 years. that Used The Body Mass Index tracks weight trends since 1990 defines “overweight” as a BMI between 25 and 30 and obesity as a BMI of 30 or more. Many scientists have it Discussed BMI is widely used by scientists and doctors to assess health, but is at best an incomplete tool because it does not take into account a person's genetic background, fat to muscle ratio, or other important physical statistics. However, in children, the study used factors from the international obesity task force to determine overweight or obesity status.
Globally, research Found In 1990, nearly a million adults fell into the definition of overweight or obesity in 1990, compared to 2.6 billion in 2021. By 2050, the survey predicted that the number would be up to 3.8 billion.
The rapid boom in national wealth in the oil-rich Gulf countries has attracted attention from nutrition researchers and fast food investors for over a decade. In 2012, the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School described the Middle East as “.Bottomless“The demand for Western fast food.
“Despite the relatively small group, the Gulf countries are a multi-billion fast food market, and franchises have made it faster to enter the region,” a school report at the time observed.
“According to a MasterCard survey, Gulf consumers were the top three restaurants spenders. UAE diners spent an average of USD 229 per month,” he continued. “Katalis averaged USD 211 per month, while Kuwait spent USD 196 per month. In the same survey, 88% of respondents said they had dined at a shopping mall food court.”
The report noted that pastry chain Cinnabon opened its first storefront in the country following the collapse of Muammar Gaddafi's anti-American regime in Libya.
As of 2023, researchers Estimated The Arab world's fast food markets, the Middle East and North Africa, were valued at $37.233 billion. It is expected to be worth more than $52 billion in 2032.
The status of overweight among young people has become a specific issue. UNICEF has identified children as coexisting with conditions such as malnutrition and stunting in the child if their child does not grow to full adult height due to food shortages.
“According to MENA's regional nutrition strategic orientation launched by UNICEF, children in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have some form of malnutrition,” the United Nations agency said. It was revealed August. However, an additional 55 million children were identified as overweight or obese in the same area.
“The Middle East and North Africa region face the increasingly complex triple burden of malnutrition that undermines child growth, development and future potential,” UNICEF regional directors for the Middle East and North Africa said in a statement at the time. “Only a third of young children receive the nutritious foods they need to grow, develop and flourish.”
The main author of Rancet In a recently published study, Emmanuela Gakidou of the US-based Institute for Health Assessment (IHME) described the increase in overweight status around the world as “a profound tragedy and monumental social failure.”
