European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT (POLICE POWER, PATERNALISM) AGAINST THE OBESITY IN GULF COUNTRIES

Dr. Sultan AlNohair*

ABSTRACT

According to the new definition of the W.H.O for the obesity, it is consider as disease. I can consider it one of the serious disease because it lead to a lot of chronic disease (Diabetes Mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, osteoarthritis, metabolic disease, coronary heart disease…etc). Obesity usually determined by the body mass index which is affected by the weight and height. World Health Organization (WHO) defines obesity as body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or more and it considers the obesity increase quickly from 1980 – 2008 which consider as important health issue. Overweight defines as body mass index more than 25 and less than 30 which consider as risk factor for the metabolic disease. When look for the map of WHO which is explain the percentage of the obesity and overweight over the world, we can consider the countries in the gulf region at the highest prevalence with some variation from country to another country. The highest prevalence of the overweight among the gulf region is Kuwait by 79.3 % followed by the following (Qatar by 72.2%, Emirates by 72%, Bahrain by 72%, Saudi Arabia by 71.3% then finally Oman by 57.5%). Regarding the obesity over the world, we can find the highest prevalence among (U.SA, Gulf region, South Africa). In the gulf region also, the highest prevalence of obesity in Kuwait by 42.8 % then followed by Saudi Arabia by 35.2 % and the last will be Oman by 22%.[1]

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