M A Jabbar :
It needs attention and action of all concerned when WHO facts reveal that at least 2.8 million people are dying each year globally as a result of being overweight or obese. Worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980. In 2014, more than 1.9 billion (39 per cent) adults of 18 years and above were overweight. Of these over 600 million (13 per cent) were obese.
Most of the world’s population lives in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight. 42 million children under age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2013.
Overweight and obesity: It is an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that impairs health. Body mass index (BMI) is a simple index of weight or height that is commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults. A person’s weight in kilograms is divided by the square of his height in meters.
WHO defines: BMI greater than or equal to 25 is overweight and BMI greater than or equal to 30 is obesity. Once considered a high-income country problem, overweight and obesity is now on the rise in low and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings. In developing countries with emerging economies (classified by the World Bank as lower and middle income countries) the rate of increase of childhood overweight and obesity has been more than 30% higher than that of developed countries.
Bangladesh perspective: A health survey conducted by ICDDR,B two years back in seven divisional cities namely Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Barisal, Khulna, Rajshahi and Rangpur reveals that 52 per cent mothers of children of 5 to 18 years are overweight and of them 15 per cent are obese. Of the children 14 per cent are with overweight and of them 4 per cent are obese. The survey reveals that the rate is higher in Dhaka which is 57 per cent for mothers and 22 per cent for children and in Chittagong 64 per cent for mothers and 13 per cent for children. The rate of obese in families of well-off children is 27 per cent as against 3 per cent of the children of poor families. Region-wise rate of overweight and obese shown as follows: Dhaka-mother (57 per cent) and child (22 per cent),Chittagong: mother(64 per cent) and(13 per cent), Sylhet: mother(57 per cent) and child (19 per cent), Barisal-mother (55 per cent) and child (17 per cent), Khulna-mother (55 per cent) and child (15 per cent), Rajshahi-mother (43 per cent) and (10 per cent), Rangpur-mother (35 per cent) and child (7 per cent).
High calorie intake and less physical work is the main reason for overweight and obese. The experts are warning that heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, Osteoarthritis, liver and gallbladder related diseases are the contributory factors for overweight and obese.
Professor Dr A K Azad Khan, President, Bangladesh Diabetic Association warned that unless sugar and calorie enriched fast food and soft drinks are not avoided the risk will continue. He asserted the need for physical exercise and playground for the children.
Overweight and obesity and related diseases are preventable. Healthy lifestyle, contamination-free safe and healthy diet, limiting energy intake from fats and sugars, consumption of fruits and vegetables, adequate intake of water and regular physical exercise are important factors to combat overweight and obesity. Pollution-free clean environment and arrangement for good number of play ground be made available to combat overweight and obesity.
Awareness is important to control overweight and obesity. Governments, international partners, civil society, non government organizations, health personnel, political leaders, teachers, religious leaders, social representatives, various other private sectors and individuals can play vital role in preventing obesity. n
It needs attention and action of all concerned when WHO facts reveal that at least 2.8 million people are dying each year globally as a result of being overweight or obese. Worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980. In 2014, more than 1.9 billion (39 per cent) adults of 18 years and above were overweight. Of these over 600 million (13 per cent) were obese.
Most of the world’s population lives in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight. 42 million children under age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2013.
Overweight and obesity: It is an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that impairs health. Body mass index (BMI) is a simple index of weight or height that is commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults. A person’s weight in kilograms is divided by the square of his height in meters.
WHO defines: BMI greater than or equal to 25 is overweight and BMI greater than or equal to 30 is obesity. Once considered a high-income country problem, overweight and obesity is now on the rise in low and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings. In developing countries with emerging economies (classified by the World Bank as lower and middle income countries) the rate of increase of childhood overweight and obesity has been more than 30% higher than that of developed countries.
Bangladesh perspective: A health survey conducted by ICDDR,B two years back in seven divisional cities namely Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Barisal, Khulna, Rajshahi and Rangpur reveals that 52 per cent mothers of children of 5 to 18 years are overweight and of them 15 per cent are obese. Of the children 14 per cent are with overweight and of them 4 per cent are obese. The survey reveals that the rate is higher in Dhaka which is 57 per cent for mothers and 22 per cent for children and in Chittagong 64 per cent for mothers and 13 per cent for children. The rate of obese in families of well-off children is 27 per cent as against 3 per cent of the children of poor families. Region-wise rate of overweight and obese shown as follows: Dhaka-mother (57 per cent) and child (22 per cent),Chittagong: mother(64 per cent) and(13 per cent), Sylhet: mother(57 per cent) and child (19 per cent), Barisal-mother (55 per cent) and child (17 per cent), Khulna-mother (55 per cent) and child (15 per cent), Rajshahi-mother (43 per cent) and (10 per cent), Rangpur-mother (35 per cent) and child (7 per cent).
High calorie intake and less physical work is the main reason for overweight and obese. The experts are warning that heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, Osteoarthritis, liver and gallbladder related diseases are the contributory factors for overweight and obese.
Professor Dr A K Azad Khan, President, Bangladesh Diabetic Association warned that unless sugar and calorie enriched fast food and soft drinks are not avoided the risk will continue. He asserted the need for physical exercise and playground for the children.
Overweight and obesity and related diseases are preventable. Healthy lifestyle, contamination-free safe and healthy diet, limiting energy intake from fats and sugars, consumption of fruits and vegetables, adequate intake of water and regular physical exercise are important factors to combat overweight and obesity. Pollution-free clean environment and arrangement for good number of play ground be made available to combat overweight and obesity.
Awareness is important to control overweight and obesity. Governments, international partners, civil society, non government organizations, health personnel, political leaders, teachers, religious leaders, social representatives, various other private sectors and individuals can play vital role in preventing obesity. n
(M A Jabbar writes on health and environment issues and is Executive Secretary of ADHUNIK, national anti-tobacco
organization of Bangladesh)
