Qatar´s Youth Is Putting On Weight: The Increase In Obesity Between 2003 And 2009

The profound economic growth in the Arabian Gulf states over the past few decades has had a great impact on the lifestyle of the Qatari population. There has been a rapid appearance of fast food restaurants and other hallmarks of western society. These influences have been accompanied by a higher energy intake and decreased levels of physical activity. The potential impact on the younger population is particularly alarming. Throughout the recent past, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) among children and adolescents has increased significantly due to the high prevalence of obesity. Obese children can have a higher risk of premature mortality due to consequent cardiometabolic morbidity. According to WHO, obesity-induced medical conditions have now led to excess mortality surpassing that associated with tobacco. However, data on the body weight status of Qatari children are lacking for the past ten years. This study estimates the magnitude of the increase in BMI among Qatari adolescents (aged 12-18 ye...