Obesity major cause of fatal diseases: experts

LAHORE

Medical experts have observed that obesity is the underline cause of various diseases of heart, kidneys, lungs and bones.

“The people need to adopt a simple lifestyle, eat healthy food and exercise daily to avoid obesity and that will help prevent different diseases,” say the experts while speaking at a seminar on “Obesity, hair ailments, aging and human health” organised by Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (Jang Group of Newspapers) and Advanced Pain Centre here at a local hotel.

Dr Abdul Naeem Noshad, CEO Advanced Pain Centre, said that Pakistan ranked 9th in prevalence of obesity, saying that if Pakistanis didn’t act to prevent obesity then 65 percent of country’s population would become obese by 2020. He also clarified that obesity was not a symbol of health rather a disease; therefore, obesity should be taken as a disease and treated like a disease. He said that 80 percent of obese children remain obese in their grown-up age; therefore, we must be concerned about the fat babies rather than feeling happy about their obesity.

He said that Pakistan was struggling with its healthcare structure; therefore, it is all the more important to adopt preventive approach to prevent diseases. “Prevention is better than cure,” he said, adding that prevention of diseases will allow us to focus on epidemic and other diseases. However, he said that the treatment for all complicated diseases was available in Pakistan.

He said that acupuncture and stem cell therapy were latest treatment methods, which would enable abolishing of knee replacement intervention by 2026. Many kinds of cancers are also curable through PRP and stem cell therapy.

Majid Zahoor, MPA, urged the people to form Patients Welfare Societies to help each other as there were several Patients Welfare Societies in developed world formed by the patients, rather than by the government, doctors or philanthropists, to support the treatment of needy patients. He regretted that several patients were reluctant to visit hospitals due to high cost of laboratory tests. Therefore, he said, they prefer to visit the quacks leading to further deterioration of their condition. These patients, he said, come to hospitals at a later stage of their ailments, which renders even the genuine treatment ineffective at that stage. “The government is doing its best to improve the health system, but the people need to come forward and help the government and themselves to reduce the burden of diseases,” he added.

Waheed Gul, MPA, said that the government had enhanced the age limit of women from 30 to 33 to get government jobs. He said the government was providing relief to the masses in all sectors, including health, which will continue in future too.

Annaza Ehsan Butt, former Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Women Development, said that the resources in government hospitals were equal to nothing, but it was also a fact that the burden of patients had increased manifold leading to shortage of doctors in comparison with the load of patients. She said underground water level was going down, whereas the available water was containing high percentage of arsenic. “It’s a grave situation, which calls for concerted efforts to overcome troublesome situation,” she added.

Prof Dr Rehana Mahmood Malik, Head of Gynae at Services Hospital, said that the obesity had assumed the proportions of an epidemic, saying that diseases caused due to obesity were fatal. “No one can stop old age, but certain precautions in lifestyles can make the old age better,” she added. She said our food had transformed during the last 10 years as even children were becoming obese and cardiac patients. She said entire weight of an obese person was borne by the bones and the person becomes unable to move, which further increases his/her weight. She advised people to use simple food, add fruits and vegetables to their menu.

Dr Waqas A Chaudhry, Interventional Pain Physician at UK, said they had introduced latest treatment methods like PRP and stem cell therapy, which were effective in anti-aging treatment as well as treatment of hair disorders, several types of cancers and pains of bones and body. “Several celebrities have conducted their anti-aging skin treatment through medicines without any side-effects,” he added.

Dr Sami-ur-Rehman said extra fat in body caused obesity, saying that one in every five children born was obese. “The causes of obesity vary in each individual,” he said, adding that every person should indulge in physical exercise and use fruits and vegetables to prevent obesity.

Dr Lee Sing, acupuncture specialist, claimed to have conducted successful treatment of 1,000 patients through acupuncture in Pakistan, and he was proud of this achievement.

Besides, Stem Cell Biologist and Researcher Dr Kim and others also spoke on the occasion. MKRMS Chairman Wasif Nagi conducted the seminar.