https://arab.news/mt54q
Global obesity rates have increased in recent decades, with about 890 million adults worldwide now classified as obese. Obesity affects a troubling 43 percent of adults globally. However, the Middle East and North Africa region stands out, as it has seen one of the fastest increases in obesity prevalence among all regions. This rapid rise calls for immediate action from both public health systems and the food industry to address what is now a structural crisis.
Several factors contribute to this alarming trend, starting with the region’s low levels of physical activity. MENA countries exhibit some of the lowest physical activity levels worldwide. Only 38.5 percent of adults in the region meet the World Health Organization’s recommended guidelines. In nations such as Qatar and Kuwait, the numbers are particularly shocking, with more than 80 percent of teenagers and 55 percent of adults not engaging in sufficient physical activity.
This trend is intensified by an overreliance on cars, which is a direct consequence of the extreme weather conditions in the Gulf. The intense heat and humidity during summer months make walking unbearable, leaving people with little choice but to use cars even for short trips.
