Lakbira al-Tunis (Abu Dhabi)

Obesity is considered one of the diseases of the modern era and its percentage increases with development and society suffers great material and moral damage. According to some studies, more than 800 million people in the world suffer from obesity and a 60% increase in young people is expected over the next decade, which will affect 250 million children by 2030, according to the World Health Organization. and its results will cost more than US$1 trillion by 2025. Statistics show that 32.2% of men and 39.3% of women in the UAE are obese, while the percentage among children varies from 8.5% to 11%, according to doctors. Several hospitals and centers linked to the Mubadala Health Network.
To clarify this pathological problem, Al-Ittihad met with a team of physicians and experts from Mubadala Healthcare Network, Healthpoint Hospital, Danat Al Emarat Hospital, Imperial College London Diabetes Center and HealthPlus Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology. Obesity Risks and Decision Review Group. Sarah Soliman, a consultant at the Imperial College London Diabetes Centre, an endocrinologist and diabetic healthcare practitioner, confirmed that there is growing evidence that people who sleep less are overweight than people who sleep up to eight hours. He explained that childhood obesity is related to several factors, including: parental obesity, time in front of screens, physical activity and an unhealthy diet based on pans and sweets away from proteins and vegetables.

Lifestyle
To get rid of obesity, Dr. Suleiman emphasized following a balanced diet based on healthy foods and vegetarian diets as well as natural proteins and avoiding saturated fats and processed foods such as ready meals, fried foods, chocolate, chips and more. It is advisable to avoid sugary drinks, including sodas, sweet juices and sweet tea, and replace them with healthy drinks. In addition to diet, it is recommended to eat slowly, chew carefully and then swallow so that the body feels full and satisfied and stop eating once the feeling of hunger disappears. Avoid eating while doing other activities, such as watching TV, as this reduces your ability to feel full and can cause you to eat more.

Physical activity
And moderate activity for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week has been reported to reduce the risk of chronic disease. To maintain an ideal weight or lose weight, people, including children, must be physically active for at least an hour a day to overcome a monotonous lifestyle. Technological devices such as watches that contain smart apps that monitor children’s daily activities and provide parents with data about them are worth mentioning. Parents are encouraged to agree on a movement schedule with their children and work together to achieve that daily goal.

diet and fast
Nadine Helal, nutritionist and diabetes educator at the Health Plus Specialist Network, discussed intermittent fasting and traditional diets and the mechanism by which they combine to achieve fitness. He said that to get more benefits it is necessary to break the fast for a certain time, with a minimum of 12 hours and a maximum of 18 hours. During the first two days of fasting we may feel dizzy and tired, but over time we get used to it. He highlighted that this type of fasting is based on 3 main factors: eating, sleeping and drinking. He advised dividing food into three main meals during intermittent fasting, which promotes fat burning, as long as each meal contains low-fat protein, accompanied by one or two servings of vegetables, complex carbohydrates like seeds and whole grains, potatoes or bread. . Rich in fiber, like wholegrain bread and brown rice.

calories
Helal said some studies have shown that obese people may feel less hungry during intermittent fasting due to lower levels of insulin in the body, but a high-calorie diet is better than any other diet, according to research. He spoke about the traditional diet and warned that caloric control must be accompanied by CBT, which changes an individual’s daily eating habits and eating behaviors.
When it comes to counting calories, Hilal noted that recent studies suggest 25 to 30 percent low-fat protein, 45 to 55 percent carbs, and 25 to 30 percent fat. These percentages are still imprecise and the diet is often adapted to the needs and aspirations of each person, taking into account the presence of chronic diseases, pointing to apps that help people calculate calories to lose weight.

Medicines and injections
Bariatric surgeons and consultants at Imperial College of Diabetes in London, Danat Al Emarat and Healthpoint Abu Dhabi, said the drugs and injections could help reduce some patients’ weight by 10 to 15 percent, depending on their health status, health. and obesity. It is easy to use and has few side effects and is used to reduce weight to facilitate surgery or to reduce weight to prepare for a healthy lifestyle and lose more weight or keep it off.

bariatric surgery
Dr. Mohammed al-Haddad, bariatric consultant and head of Healthpoint’s bariatric center, explained that there are several ways to fight obesity, including surgery, which is divided into 3 main types: gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and gastric balloon. . He said bariatric surgery reduces the risk of death from obesity-related diseases by 30-40%. It also helps alleviate other health problems such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high fat, sleep apnea, back pain, esophageal reflux, polycystic ovaries and difficulty giving birth, as well as reducing the incidence of infections. Cardiovascular diseases. , Heart and stroke.

Weight loss
Before surgery, the patient must consult a nutritionist and practice exercises in an attempt to lose weight, and if this is not successful and in the presence of other diseases, surgery is always resorted to on a regular basis. Body mass index and presence of chronic diseases caused by excess obesity. This was explained by Dr. Hazem Al Momani, General and Bariatric Surgery Consultant at Danat Al Emarat, who highlighted that the type of surgery depends on the case and highlighted that some surgeries require the patient to take vitamins for life to ensure they get the items. the body needs and consumes, drastically reducing the amount of food.

He added that the patient should drink liquids for the first few days and then eat well-ground food, highlighting the patient’s visit to the multidisciplinary obesity treatment center, which usually includes a bariatric surgeon, internist, nutritionist, etc. In addition to psychiatrists and anesthesiologists and nursing staff. When a patient undergoes surgery, it is usually accompanied by training in lifestyle management, which allows him to lead a healthy lifestyle and undergo psychological observation, which strengthens his will to continue. The doctors pointed out that the surgery has risks that must be taken into account, as in other surgeries, they are: risk of anesthesia, surgery, leakage, clotting, bleeding and constriction, and their percentage increases if the patient has already undergone surgery. abdomen or are elderly. Age, or increased stomach size.

psychological health
Obese people often blame others, and this stigma can harm their mental and physical health and prevent people from seeking the help they need. Dr. Rasha Abbas, a consultant psychiatrist at Danat Al Emarat and a network of HealthPlus Centers, said that mental health and obesity are two interrelated problems because obesity causes depression and mood disorders. On the other hand, some mental disorders cause obesity because people are prone to overeating.

He emphasized the need for eating plans accompanied by a psychologist who will supervise their application to improve their ability and ability to perform. Psychological help should be provided in case the doctor and the patient decide to have bariatric surgery, to prepare the patient before and after the operation due to certain changes in his life.

Body mass
Experts point out that recent studies have shown a link between obesity and genetic factors, but other influences like healthy sleep, regular activity, diet, drinking water and healthy habits play an important role in fighting obesity. They noted that obesity can be measured in a number of ways and the most common method is to measure body mass index (BMI) using height and weight. The normal range for BMI is from 20 to 24.9, while for overweight, when the BMI varies between 25 and 30 and for obese if it is greater than 30 and for obese if it is greater than 40.

in front of the screen
Studies have shown that children who spend more screen time are more likely to be obese. Opportunities must be created to avoid them without punishing them. Children under 3 years old should not use screens, and children between 3 and 5 years old should limit screen use to 1-2 hours per week.

Basis of treatment
Speaking of treating obesity, experts confirmed that it occurs along several axes, including drinking plenty of water, sleeping moderately and exercising. A healthy lifestyle is the foundation of all treatment and should be followed by medication, surgery or bladder as prescribed by your doctor.