Saudi Arabia ranked third in the world in terms of obesity, which is a major cause of diseases, like diabetes and high blood pressure. More than 70 percent of men and 75 percent of women in Saudi Arabia are obese or overweight, according to recent statistics. Obesity is expected to be the leading cause of death globally, reducing human life by nearly 20 years. To address the problem of the negative health and psychological effects of obesity, five Shoura Council members proposed a set of anti-obesity standards, which stressed the need to unify and coordinate all ongoing efforts to reduce obesity rates, especially among youth. This would contribute to the achievement of the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 reform plan and the National Transformation Program 2020. This, in turn, would reduce budget allocations for the treatment of obesity and related surgeries. The Shoura members reported the size of the obesity problem in the Kingdom, supported by figures and statistics. The rate of obese and overweight citizens is more than 70 percent, especially among children and youth who represent at least 50 percent of the population. 3.5 million children in the Kingdom are obese or suffer from overweight, making the Kingdom third in the world in obesity and "laziness." Moreover, more than 36 percent of the Kingdom's population is suffering from critical obesity, which leads to fatal diseases such as cardiovascular ailments, high blood pressure, cholesterol, gallstones and diabetes, as well as some types of cancers, joint pains, respiratory diseases and mental illness. The authors of the draft proposal, attributed obesity among the community, especially among young men and women, to many factors. They include environmental conditions in cities that are not conducive to exercising, and bad eating habits. The mushrooming of fast food outlets and the lack of regulatory steps to ensure healthy alternatives are other causes. The authors of the draft added that the prevailing nutrition culture is part of the problem because people look to eating as a pastime. Sitting long hours watching TV and the impact of shopping advertisements that influence people only aggravate the problem. The Shoura members stressed that obesity is a complex problem and requires a multifaceted approach. There is no specific or simple solution, they noted. "Fighting obesity needs the combined efforts of policy makers, local, regional and international organizations, business and society, schools and universities, nurseries, health practitioners, individuals, athletes and others." Local programs, the authors said, should be concerned with raising public health awareness, publishing health recommendations, and encouraging evidence-based health practices and guidelines adopted by local and regional health organizations, health practitioners and activists. They also noted the role of society in combating the obesity epidemic by promoting physical activity, healthy food and sound eating habits.
