Weighty issue

Experts meet in Dubai to discuss obesity

Top doctors in the Gulf region gathered in Dubai last week to discuss obesity. The Gulf Obesity Consensus Meeting brought together experts from Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain and Oman to discuss this growing health problem. A series of lectures and meetings on obesity are also underway, taking place in Dubai, Kuwait, Al Ain and Abu Dhabi.

The event comes at a time when 60 per cent of the UAE population is overweight, according to a Ministry of Health official. Obesity is a chronic medical condition that is associated with a number of secondary diseases and medical complications.

The Consensus Meeting was sponsored by Abbott Laboratories, a prominent health care company, which recently pioneered a revolutionary weight loss drug.

Professor Mike Lean, a leading international obesity expert and head of the Department of Human Nutrition at the University of Glasgow, addressed the event. Professor Lean has played a major role in health promotion in his native Scotland where he was appointed to the Health Education Board in 1995.

"Obesity is a global problem that is getting worse," said Professor Lean. "More than 250 million adults worldwide are obese, and many more are overweight. Indeed it's often a neglected public health issue.

Initiatives like this one by Abbott Laboratories can play a major role in curbing overweight. Obesity is a disease, but its development is preventable, and its prevention and management is not just the responsibility of individuals, but requires a commitment from all sectors of society.

"Research has indicated that obese individuals are at increased risk of a number of conditions, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, certain forms of cancer, gallstones and certain respiratory disorders."

In most cases, obesity is a treatable condition, and one in which even a moderate reduction in weight can contribute to health benefits. Research indicates that a sustained loss of five per cent to 10 per cent of total body weight may result in significant and measurable health benefits, such as the reduction of risks for diabetes and heart disease.

"Obese people are at a high risk of dying younger," said Dr Emad E.D. Ghanawi, a leading UAE-based diabetologist and endocrinologist, "but intentional weight loss can reduce the mortality rate, especially for those with diabetes. One of the major challenges we face is convincing people of the seriousness of this condition, and assuring that patients with high BMIs seek medical help to lose weight."

A patient can be said to be obese when his BMI (Body Mass Index) exceeds 30, while a BMI of over 25 indicates overweight. BMI is an expression of height and weight data used to chart body fatness.

In the lectures and meetings, Prof. Lean has also been informing doctors about the use of Sibutramine, the key ingredient in Reductil, Abbott's prescription treatment for the long-term management of obesity. Reductil has demonstrated effectiveness for both weight loss and maintenance of weight loss.

Reductil is taken once daily and works centrally in the brain, causing patients to feel satisfied with less food. It has been shown to help obese patients lose five per cent to 10 per cent of their initial body weight, and helps patients maintain their weight loss in the long-term.

According to a recent study published in the British medical magazine The Lancet, Reductil is up to five times more effective than diet and exercise alone.

"Abbott Laboratories is very proud that it has been able to take the initiative by organising this meeting," said Ibrahim Aql, general manager, Gulf region, Abbott Laboratories. "We wanted to bring together the obesity experts in the region to create a forum where opinion leaders could discuss the problems and management of this condition."

"We would also like to see this event develop into a Gulf obesity task force, similar to the IOTF, which has significantly raised awareness of the condition, providing guidance for the development of prevention and management strategies, and the development of structures to deal with the problem."

Reductil is available in more than 70 countries worldwide and has been prescribed to more than 8.5 million patients. Treatment with Reductil should be given as part of a long-term integrated therapeutic approach for weight reduction under the care of a physician.