Beirut, 6 October 2017: A disease linked to a range of other comorbidities, Obesity’s harmful impact on health can be significantly reduced with sustained loss of 5–10% of body weight, with benefits including improvements in blood glucose levels1, blood pressure2, and lipid profile, as well as decreased risk of type 2 diabetes1 and obstructive sleep apnea, and enhanced health-related quality of life.
“Obesity is on the rise in Lebanon, where local estimates show it affecting nearly 30% of the population15, while most people are not aware that it’s a disease that subjects them to higher risks for numerous comorbidities,” said Stathis Psimmenos, Lebanon General Manager at leading global pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk which is teaming up with the Lebanese Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Lipids (LSEDL) to raise awareness about Obesity-related health issues, and call on people with the disease to take serious measures to lower their body weight.
“Sustainable weight loss must become a priority for anyone serious about their health,” said Dr. Emile Andari, LSEDL President. “It’s really quite alarming that the general public is not aware that Obesity is a harmful disease, nor is it being managed adequately neither by individuals, physicians, nor governments.”
“While lifestyle interventions such as diet and exercise are the first-line treatments for people with Obesity, most tend to engage in those sporadically and fail at sustaining any weight loss they achieve in the process,” according to Andari.
Compounding the problem is that people who lose weight generally experience an increase in hunger and a decrease in fullness leading to an increased desire to eat, with changes persisting for at least one year as the body alters a number of hormones to prevent further weight loss.
“This is generally why second-line treatment options including pharmacotherapy are becoming more and more necessary,” added Andari. “Medical advice for those who seek it is dependent on assessments of the severity of obesity-related comorbidities in each individual, and their impact on their health.”
Rising Epidemic
The global prevalence of Obesity was estimated in 2014 to be 11% for men and 15% for women, translating into over 600 million adults living with Obesity worldwide.21
More on Obesity
Overweight and Obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health.
Body mass index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults, with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater being classified as obese.
Obesity is a complex and multi-factorial disease influenced by physiological, psychological, environmental, socio-economic, and genetic factors.