World Obesity Day is Observed Globally on 11 October
Dr. Marwa Gomaa Hussein Mokhtar, a consultant at Qatar Metabolic Institute, says the National Obesity Treatment Center sees between 800 and 900 patients each month. She says obese patients should consult with their doctor before beginning a weight-loss journey and adds that having a BMI equal to or greater than 30 is a major risk factor for a number of chronic diseases.
“Individuals with a BMI greater than 30, which approximates to 30 pounds of excess weight, are at risk of developing serious health problems. Once an individual understands what factors are contributing to weight gain, a healthcare professional can help them set appropriate weight loss goals. This year we’ve seen approximately 6,000 patients at the National Obesity Treatment Center,” added Dr. Mokhtar.
Dr. Mokhtar says for some individuals, weight loss is essential to avoid or manage chronic diseases and conditions associated with obesity, such as diabetes, pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoarthritis. She says the longer a person is obese, the more significant obesity-related risk factors become.
“The causes of obesity are complex. There may be many interrelated factors, such as genetics, lifestyle, diet, underlying health conditions, and how an individual’s body uses energy,” says Dr. Mokhtar.
According to Dr. Mokhtar, understanding and making lifestyle changes isn’t always easy but she says it is the key to long-term weight loss. She says in general, the greater the degree of weight loss achieved, the greater the health benefits.
“All of our weight loss programs emphasize lifestyle modifications, specifically adjustments to the type and quantity of food consumed and the incorporation of physical activity. Lifestyle changes are the mainstay of weight loss treatment and are important for the long-term maintenance of weight loss,” said Dr. Mokhtar.
Ms. Reem Al Saadi, Director of Dietetics and Nutrition at HMC agrees and says dietary changes are an essential part of the weight loss equation. She says one of the first steps in successful weight loss is to become educated about food choices.
“Making healthier choices when selecting meals and beverages is a simple way to effectively increase weight loss. Soda, juice, and energy drinks are often loaded with sugar and extra calories and can contribute to weight gain over time,” says Ms. Al Saadi.
She says becoming educated about nutrition, which includes learning how to read food labels and following recommended portion sizes can help people make better decisions about what they eat.
“All packaged foods have nutrition labels but many people do not know how to read them. It can be confusing because food labels can display nutrition claims that are misleading. Knowing how to read food labels is especially important for those who have health conditions, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol,” said Ms. Al Saadi.
The serving size and number of servings per package section of a nutrition label show how many servings are in the package and how big a serving is, which is generally listed as 'cups' or 'pieces'. In addition to listing the energy (kilojoules/calories) within a serving size, the nutrition label also contains information on protein, total fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugar, protein, sodium, and fiber. Nutrition labels also include information about food allergens, such as nuts, gluten, and milk.
“The most important numbers to look for on a food label are portion size, portions per package, total fat, trans and saturated fat, sugar, sodium, and fiber. One of the biggest misconceptions people have about losing weight is that they can eat freely, in any amount, a food that is labeled as low fat or diet, for example,” said Ms. Al Saadi.
According to Ms. Al Saadi, calorie restriction is the cornerstone of any weight loss program. She says it is important not to be obsessive about counting calories but says that it is necessary to know the calorie content of various foods and the recommended calorie intake for weight loss; this number will vary from person to person depending on age, height, weight, and lifestyle.
World Obesity Day is observed globally on 11 October to promote practical solutions to end the global obesity crisis.
