COMCEC

Malnutrition in the OIC Member

Countries: A Trap for Poverty

index after North America. Consumption of fruit and vegetables has decreased and people are

eating more fast food, snacks rich in fats and sugars and are eating more meals outside the

home. Rates of physical exercise are also decreasing: in seven Arab countries rates of physical

inactivity for adults ranged from 33% to

8 6

% (Musaiger et al. 2011). In some wealthy

countries in the region, such as Saudi Arabia, rates of inactivity among adults are as high as

96%. In certain countries, cultural factors inhibit women's access to and participation in sports

and other physical activity (Musaiger et al. 2011). To combat these challenges, the Arab

Taskforce for Obesity and Physical Activity developed a strategy to combat obesity which

included:

1. Reducing the incidence of obesity and overweight in Arab countries by encouraging

healthy diets and increased physical activity.

2. Reduced risk factor for chronic diseases.

3. Increased awareness of the importance of physical activity, healthy diets, good

nutrition and maintaining a healthy weight.

4. Explore new partnerships between government, civil society and the private sector to

promote health diets in Arab society.

5. To establish better way of monitoring and assessing obesity levels.

. Conduct research on the how to improve health, nutrition and physical activity levels.

7. To provide effective services to obese people (Musaiger et al. 2011).

Draft Nutrition Strategy and Planfo r Action fo r Countries of the Eastern Mediterranean

Region 2010-2019

OIC Countries: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,

Libya, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,

Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

This action plan was developed based on the outcomes of two meetings held in 2009 in Egypt

and Jordan; recognising that malnutrition rates remain unacceptably high and nutrition has

not been adequately prioritised in national planning agendas. There has actually been an

increase in rate of underweight in the region, from 14% in 1990 to 17% in 2004. In addition to

the high burden of undernutrition, over nutrition is becoming an increasing problem in the

region: in 2005 non-communicable diseases accounted for 52% of all deaths in the region; a

figure that is expected to rise to 60% by 2020 (WHO 2010c). Overweight is not only a problem

for adults in the region, but also increasingly for school-aged and preschool-aged children. The

number of school-aged children who are obese in the region have doubled in the last

2 0

years,

from 23.5 million in 1992-2001 to 41.7 million in 2010 (Musaiger 2011). Overweight and

obesity in children is more common in wealthy countries in the region, and presents a major

public health problem, with many countries in the region having higher prevalence of

overweight than in many developed countries (Musaiger 2011). Obesity is more common in

urban areas throughout the region, which presents additional challenge as the region is

increasingly urban. The significant increase in obesity has led to a diabetes epidemic. The

Middle East and North Africa region has the highest rates of diabetes in the world: one in ten

people. Health care expenditure on diabetes has not been able to keep up with the increasing

prevalence, and many people are diagnosed late leading to more costly health complications

(Yahia 2014).