A Rising Epidemic As Obesity Rates Double Among Pakistani Children

According to the National Nutrition Survey of Pakistan in 2018, over 11% of children in rural and urban areas were overweight, whereas, over 5% of children were obese. However, findings from several hospital-based studies and surveys indicate that 40%-50% of children in Pakistan are either overweight or obese. Hence, the obesity rates among children in Pakistan have doubled in the past decade.

Dr. Musarrat Riaz, an Endocrinologist at the Baqai Institue of Diabetology and Endocrinology in Karachi, spoke on the issue of obesity rising as an epidemic in the country. Moreover, she also questioned the health statistics and called the obesity and overweight ranges “underestimated”. Dr. Musarrat has been a part of hospital-based and clinical studies on obesity and said that the actual figures range between 40% and 50%. “These studies have shown really alarming numbers,” said the doctor. Furthermore, she warns everyone that the number of children who are obese or overweight is increasing at a shocking rate along with diseases and other health-related complications. “A good number of young people aged 20 to 25 years are developing early age diabetes, apart from hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and many harmonic issues because of obesity,” she added.

Health Statistics Of Pakistan

According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), Pakistan has the third-highest prevalence of diabetes in the world. One out of every four adults in Pakistan suffers from diabetes. According to a recent study by Pakistan Health Research Council (PHRC), nearly 60% of the country’s 210 million people are obese. Whereas, The World Health Organization figures show that 58.1% of Pakistanis are overweight, with 43.9% obese. The global cutoffs indicate that a person with a BMI of 25 kg per square meter is considered overweight, whereas a BMI of under 27 kg per square meter is deemed obese.

Where the prevalence of obesity is higher in adults, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents is on the rise as well. Early obesity not only increases the likelihood of adult obesity but also increases the risk of heart disease in adulthood. Moreover, it also increases the prevalence of weight-related risk factors for cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar.

Factors For Obesity in Pakistan

The main factors for the rising obesity in Pakistan are early years’ nutrition, catch-up growth, post-natal nutrition, and high calorie condensed food. On top of all this, the COVID-19 pandemic has “significantly” contributed to the rise of obesity-related issues in the country over the past two years. “Lockdown restrictions, schools, and gyms closures, and limited sports activities have further reduced the physical activities in general, especially in the urban areas where an unhealthy lifestyle has already resulted in the rise in obesity,” explained the doctor.

Hence, in order to curb the rising obesity, it is recommended to exercise daily, have a healthy diet, and avoiding sugary drinks, and limit dining out. Thus, following a healthy diet and lifestyle will ultimately lead to the elimination of this disease.