Dubai: A Global Obesity summit will be held in Dubai on November 2 to draw attention to the global epidemic and work out a structured approach to fight the pandemic.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 1.9 billion people were overweight or obese in 2014. A recent study led by Imperial College London in partnership with the WHO predicts one-fifth of adults will be obese by 2025, and some projections even estimate one-third to be obese by 2034. The Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region is no exception, with 26 million people classed as severely obese, making the disease a major public health concern. These figures provide an idea of how urgent and relevant the summit is to the present times.
Princess Haya Bint Al Hussain, wife of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and the chairperson of Dubai Health Care City Authority (DHCC), will deliver the opening keynote address.
The event being organised by the Economist Event will bring together some of the eminent international and regional decision-makers from different sectors including policymakers and senior-level professionals from the health care, pharmaceutical, food and drink, and medical devices industries who will discuss topics such as the socioeconomic cost of obesity, the role of food and drink industry and the role public-private partnerships and technology can play in stemming the incidence.
Kay Westmoreland, head of the Middle East and Africa at the Economist group, said: “This summit comes at an urgent and critical time. The disease is escalating in prevalence worldwide and is inflicting health and socioeconomic burdens on peoples and governments across the globe.
“Some of the main questions we will address include the role of the private and public sectors in the prevention of obesity and its health effects.”
