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Overweight and obesity in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: can we control it?

Obesity has become an epidemic problem worldwide, and in the Eastern Mediterranean Region the status of overweight has reached an alarming level. A prevalence of 3%-9% overweight and obesity has been recorded among preschool children, while that among schoolchildren was 12%-25%. A marked increase in obesity generally has been noted among adolescents, ranging from 15% to 45%. In adulthood, women showed a higher prevalence of obesity (35%-75%) than men (30%-60%). Several factors, such as change in dietary habits, socioeconomic factors, inactivity and multiparity (among women) determine obesity in this Region. There is an urgent need for national programmes to prevent and control obesity in the countries of the Region.