(MENAFN- Arab Times) Spouse of the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Italy, Dr Sara Al-Rugayan, has shed light at an international conference held here on problem of obesity in Kuwait affirming that it has become quite alarming. Dr Al-Rugayan, speaking at the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2), noted that the State of Kuwait devotes special attention to nutrition, educating the public against unhealthy food intakes and enhancing their consumption awareness.
This conference is of particular significance for Kuwait, which witnessed, over the past decade, an alarming hike in the number of citizens suffering from obesity, particularly among teenagers, "regretfully placing Kuwait among the ten countries with the highest proportion of overweight citizens in the world." Dr Al-Rugayan, also an academic researcher, invited to the convention as a representative of Kuwait, said the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health has worked out a plan to treat non-communicable diseases, in harmony with the World Health Organization's program in this regard.
The national program has succeeded, in coordination with the WHO, in cutting salt proportion in locallymade bread and cheese by 20 percent. The MoH abides by the WHO guidelines regarding detailed specifications of ingredients in food, particularly fast-food meals, where detailed information should be available for the consumer regarding number of calories, amounts of fatty ingredients and sugar.
Moreover, the Gulf State has recently established "the public authority for food and nutrition," charged with supervising nutritious products to ensure they meet international standards. It is high time that families be educated about healthy eating habits "so we may set the good example for our children and intervene before obesity undermine their lives," she said, noting necessity of feeding on homemade meals and increasing exercise to try contain the problem. In conclusion, she cited a saying by Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), advising against over-eating.
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