Specialists to attend conference to improve obesity management in the region

Dubai, April 12th, 2006: Al Noor Hospital will be hosting its first International Conference on Problems of Obesity in Medical Practice. The conference will be held from 18th-20th April 2006, at the Sheraton Hotel, Abu Dhabi, UAE. The conference, held under the Patronage of His Highness, Sheikh Hamed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan aims to highlight the risks of obesity in the community, the causes of obesity development and complications associated with the disease, such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.

Dr. Kassem Alom, Conference President and Managing Director, Al Noor Hospital, Abu Dhabi said, "Obesity, like diabetes, is becoming a serious epidemic in many countries across the globe. This is especially true in the Middle East due to poor lifestyle choices such as bad diet and lack of exercise. This conference aims to showcase regionally and internationally recognised techniques to improve the management of obesity and its associated complications."

The international scope of the conference will attract eminent specialists from the Gulf and Middle East regions as well as international specialists. The three-day event is accredited by the American Academy of Continuing Medical Education (AACME), offering attending physicians 20.5 hrs of accreditation.

The conference will examine a broad spectrum of obesity related issues including a presentation by the Head of Clinical Nutrition, DoHMS, Dubai, UAE, on the non-surgical treatment of obesity.  "Small lifestyle changes can have an important impact in the reduction of obesity. Over the last few decades the adoption of a westernised fast food culture, coupled with a large reduction of physical exercise, has resulted in a massive increase in obesity among Middle East populations. Taking more care of what we eat and increasing sporting activities is an important and achievable first step, which will successfully reduce obesity and other complications such as diabetes."

Obesity among the juvenile population is also on the rise with serious and dramatic implications for the healthcare systems having to manage an increase in obesity related diseases such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes. Indeed, according to a survey conducted by ACNielsen, 17 percent of UAE children between 6-16 years are overweight. 

The Director of Paediatrics and Neonatology, Saad Specialist Hospital, Saudi Arabia, will present a statistical analysis of obesity in Saudi children and recommend a complete program for the management of paediatric obesity.  "The rise of childhood obesity is and will continue to put great strain on our healthcare systems. We need to encourage children to exercise more frequently. The amount a child exercises is reducing year on year due to the number of sedentary hours spent in front of the television or playing computer games. If we are not successful in this endeavour, the spiralling costs associated with childhood obesity will have a devastating effect on our public and private healthcare institutions." 

In severe cases of obesity, surgical procedures such as gastric banding are an option and have produced impressive results. "Restricting the size of a persons stomach with surgery allows only the consumption of a small amount of food at any one time. The patient remains satisfied between meals and consistently loses weight until the goal weight is reached. This weight loss results from a calorie-restricted diet thanks to reduced portion sizes. Because the surgery is generally not reversed and the patients learn new eating habits, the weight loss is permanent", adds the Senior Consultant Surgeon, Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, KSA.

Power-Plate Middle East are the Platinum sponsors of the event.

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About Problems of Obesity In Medical Practice - 1st International Medical Conference of Al Noor Hospital
Problems of Obesity In Medical Practice will be held from 18th-20th April 2006, at the Sheraton Hotel, Abu Dhabi, UAE. For more information please visit www.alnoor-obesityconf.com

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© Press Release 2006