اخبار قطر اليوم – وطن نيوز
اخر اخبار قطر – اخبار قطر العاجلة
W6nnews.com ==== وطن === تاريخ النشر – 2026-01-24 00:00:00
Doha – Ashraf Mustafa: A number of health and educational experts praised the Shura Council’s initiative to discuss the issue of obesity among youth and children, considering that the step represents an important beginning to address a growing health challenge facing society. They stressed that the Shura Council’s interest in this issue reflects the state’s keenness to promote public health and prevent future generations from diseases associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. The experts pointed out to Al-Raya that treating obesity requires joint efforts between government agencies, educational institutions and families, with a focus on nutritional education and encouraging physical activity, stressing that the recommendations that will be issued by the Council may form a strategic framework to support health policies and preventive programs in schools and society. They noted the numbers revealed by the national progressive survey of non-communicable disease risk factors in Qatar represents a health alarm bell that calls for a comprehensive review of the mechanisms for dealing with obesity and overweight, stressing that the rise in the obesity rate to 33.4%, and the arrival of overweight rates to 70.7% of the population, reflects the transformation of obesity from an individual phenomenon into a societal challenge linked to daily lifestyle patterns more than to the availability of services or health infrastructure. Despite the approved programs, it is confirmed that there is a clear gap between awareness and implementation, which requires moving from traditional campaigns to more effective practical interventions that target the nutritional and movement behavior of the family and the individual. Rashid Al-Fadhli: Making sports a daily lifestyle Educational consultant Rashid Al-Awda Al-Fadhli confirmed that the real problem lies in weight gain resulting from a sedentary lifestyle, especially among those born with normal weights, and then the problem worsens with age. Al-Fadhli explained that the lack of movement and excessive reliance on vehicles, even over short distances, in addition to the abundance of fast food, ready-made restaurants, and saturated fats, directly contributed to the spread of obesity, pointing out that reliance on domestic servants reduced any daily physical effort that children were exercising spontaneously. He pointed out that some families confuse health care with pampering, by focusing on the abundance of food and drinks without paying attention to their health impact, in addition to the spread of the culture of frequent meals, the large consumption of soft drinks and energy drinks, and the use of digital devices for long hours at the expense of movement and activity. Al-Fadhli stressed that the solution does not lie in temporary sports programs that are quickly abandoned, but rather in transforming movement into a daily lifestyle, through walking, helping children with household chores, and practicing simple but continuous activities. He noted that the family’s weak commitment to healthy behavior directly affects the children, calling for encouraging daily walking, organizing sleep times, avoiding eating a few hours before bed, and reducing sugar in hot and cold drinks, to ensure the instillation of sustainable healthy habits in society. Faisal Al Mannai: Excess calories turn into stored fat. Faisal Al Mannai, a fitness trainer, said that exercise comes as an auxiliary factor for improving general health, building muscles and strengthening joints, not as a sole solution to obesity, stressing that the real flaw in the fight against obesity is primarily related to proper nutrition. He explained that the prevailing eating habits in society, especially excessive consumption of carbohydrates and meals rich in calories in quantities exceeding the daily requirement, in addition to lack of movement, lead to the conversion of excess calories into stored fat in the body, which makes nutrition the main cause of the spread of obesity. He pointed out that there is a weakness in the sports culture among large groups of children and youth, stressing that many practice sports randomly without scientific guidance or clear goals, which leads to frustration and stopping continuing, pointing to the importance of having specialized trainers and training programs based on scientific foundations, especially in individual sports. He stressed that maintaining a healthy weight begins first by correcting nutritional concepts and staying away from fast food and processed foods, which he described as one of the most prominent causes of obesity in children, stressing that educating parents is an essential step, as they are directly responsible for their children’s nutrition. Faisal Buhazaa: Psychological stability is the beginning of treatment. Faisal Buhazaa said: Practicing sports represents an essential pillar in building a healthy society, as an individual’s health is directly linked to multiple positive aspects, including general behavior, psychological stability, and active participation in the renaissance of society. Buhazza explained that lack of physical activity, in addition to excessive eating of fast food and sitting for long periods in front of screens, are among the most prominent causes of high obesity rates, and also contribute to sleep disorders and disruption of the daily lifestyle of children. He stressed that confronting this phenomenon requires practical solutions that begin with the family, considering parents as the cornerstone in forming healthy habits within the home environment, stressing the importance of modifying dietary behavior instead of complete prevention, by reducing quantities even when eating unhealthy foods, while working to provide better food alternatives and improving the quality of available options. Bu Hazza pointed out that motivation, encouragement and patience are essential elements in dealing with children and youth from a training perspective, stressing the need to give them the freedom to choose the type of sport appropriate for them, and support them to maintain movement and continuity, while diversifying training sessions and activities to avoid boredom. He added that focusing on movement and entertainment instead of strenuous exercises at young ages contributes to instilling a love of sports from a young age, stressing that role models play a pivotal role. D. Aisha Saqr: A comprehensive change in the daily lifestyle is required. Dr. explained. Aisha Saqr, a clinical nutrition and obesity specialist, said that the spread of obesity in the world, and in the Gulf countries in particular, is due to a group of interrelated factors, most notably climatic conditions and high temperatures, which reduce the opportunities for physical activity, especially among children and adolescents, in addition to the increasing reliance on electronic games that impose a sedentary lifestyle for long hours every day. She explained that material abundance and the ease of obtaining fast food through delivery applications, at affordable prices, directly contributed to the exacerbation of the problem, stressing that these factors promoted unhealthy consumption patterns within the family, which was reflected in the children’s nutritional and physical behavior. Dr. confirmed. Saqr said that the biggest mistake that parents make is the way they deal with a child suffering from obesity, noting that confronting the problem in a way that is not appropriate for the child’s personality may lead to adverse results, as some children have high sensitivity that requires an indirect approach, while others have a competitive personality that can be directed positively by turning weight loss into a motivating challenge, explaining that the success of treatment begins with understanding the child’s personality and choosing the appropriate approach to deal with it. She pointed out that obesity is currently classified as a chronic disease, like diabetes and high blood pressure, which means that its treatment cannot be quick or phased, but rather requires a comprehensive and sustainable change in the daily lifestyle within the family. D. Moza Al-Maliki: Emotional eating is the most dangerous eating behaviour. Dr. Moza Al-Maliki – a psychologist – confirmed that obesity is not only linked to genetic factors, despite their importance, but rather unhealthy lifestyle patterns interfere with it, most notably wrong eating habits and lack of physical activity, in addition to psychological stress and what is known as “emotional eating.” Al-Maliki explained that emotional eating is one of the most dangerous eating behaviors, as some individuals resort to overeating as a means of escaping psychological pressures or negative feelings such as sadness, anxiety, and boredom, stressing that this behavior does not relieve stress as some believe, but rather later leads to feelings of guilt and deterioration of the psychological state. She pointed out that increased consumption of foods rich in calories, especially among those with a genetic predisposition, contributes significantly to the rise in obesity rates, explaining that obesity represents between 65 to 78% of cases of high blood pressure, and also increases the risk of heart disease and strokes at a rate ranging from two to three times. She added that obesity is also linked to type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, metabolic syndrome, and joint pain, in addition to its psychological effects that include anxiety and social isolation, stressing that ignoring the psychological dimension in dealing with obesity makes any health intervention lose its effectiveness. D. Turki Al-Ahbabi: Obesity is a chronic disease with multiple causes. Dr. Turki Al-Ahbabi, a consultant in obesity, nutritional and metabolic medicine, confirmed that obesity is a chronic and complex disease, with multiple and overlapping causes, which requires a comprehensive evaluation of each case individually, whether in children, youth, or adults, stressing that it cannot be treated as a problem resulting from just one factor. Al-Ahbabi explained that the high rates of obesity among children and youth are due to a group of factors, including genetic predisposition, especially in families where the disease is widespread among parents and relatives, in addition to factors that can be modified, most notably the unhealthy nutritional pattern, as many children depend on fast food that is high in calories and low in nutritional value, which increases appetite and contributes to fat accumulation. He pointed out that disruption of the biological clock and irregular sleep represent a factor influencing weight gain, pointing out that staying up late and lack of sleep has been scientifically proven to be linked to high rates of obesity in children and adolescents, which makes committing to early sleep and getting enough rest an essential part of prevention and treatment. He added that a sedentary lifestyle, lack of physical activity, and sitting for long hours in front of electronic devices, in addition to an abundance of sweetened drinks, soft drinks, and energy drinks, are among the main causes of the spread of obesity and increased risks of diabetes and metabolic diseases. Al-Ahbabi pointed out that one of the most common misconceptions is the belief that reducing the number of meals helps to reduce weight, explaining that studies have proven that reducing meals may lead to a decrease in the rate of burning, which makes losing weight more difficult, stressing the importance of regularly eating three main meals daily, in addition to starting to practice physical activity gradually and continuously according to a well-studied scientific plan. Muhammad Al-Ahraq: Applied awareness is required within schools. Captain Muhammad Al-Ahraq pointed out that obesity has become one of the most prominent societal health challenges, stressing that more than 70% of the population of the State of Qatar suffers from overweight or obesity, with high rates among children and school students, despite the continuous efforts of awareness programs and health initiatives. Al-Ahraq explained that the problem does not lie in the lack of facilities or initiatives, but rather is linked to daily life patterns within the family, pointing out that the child does not choose his eating habits or times himself, but rather is directly affected by the behavior of the family, which is the first party responsible for building health awareness from the early stages. He pointed out that one of the most prominent practical solutions is involving children in health decision-making, whether through choosing meals or determining times for physical activity, while turning movement into an enjoyable lifestyle instead of a heavy duty, in addition to reducing dependence on screens, organizing sleep times, and committing to regular meals. He added that the current stage requires focusing on applied awareness within schools and neighborhoods, and linking nutrition to physical activity in a simplified manner, to ensure the instillation of sustainable healthy habits that begin at home and extend to society. Ghada Al-Moussawi: The real flaw is in the prevention system, not in the treatment. Ghada Al-Moussawi, a sports nutritionist, said that the continued rise in obesity rates among children and youth does not reflect a failure in treatment as much as it reveals a clear flaw in the prevention system in the first place, considering that the absence of role models in the home is one of the most influential reasons. Al-Mousawi explained that one of the most common mistakes is holding the child responsible for obesity and blaming him for choices he was not a real partner in making, noting that the child is not qualified to make healthy food decisions, but rather is affected by what is presented to him at home and what he sees of his parents’ behavior, pointing out that allocating one child to prevention, censorship, and comments on his appearance may harm his psychological health and lead to adverse results. She stressed that real dietary change must include all family members, not just the child, noting that malnutrition is not limited to weight gain only, as a child of normal weight may suffer from nutritional deficiency as a result of the unhealthy options presented to him. Al-Mousawi warned that some families resort to quick solutions, such as harsh diets or appetite-reducing medications for children of growing age, considering that this trend carries great health risks, and that its results are temporary and do not address wrong eating behavior, which leads to the weight returning to rising immediately after stopping these methods. D. Ayesh Al-Qahtani: Excessive eating is inconsistent with the purposes of Sharia. His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Ayesh Al-Qahtani said: Islamic Sharia has established a clear framework for dealing with food and drink based on the principle of moderation, stressing that overeating not only contradicts modern medicine, but also contradicts the purposes of Sharia, which called for preserving the soul and preserving the body from harm. He explained that the Holy Qur’an explicitly forbade extravagance, and associated eating and drinking with moderation, considering that the body is a trust that must be preserved, not consumed to the point of harming it. He pointed out that the Sunnah of the Prophet established the principle of balance in food, where fullness was not the goal, but rather being satisfied with what sustains the body and helps it perform its duties. Sheikh Ayesh Al-Qahtani emphasized that complete satiety and excessive eating are not part of the Prophet’s guidance. Rather, the Prophet’s guidance was clear in reducing food and leaving space for the body to perform its natural functions without exhaustion, pointing out that many contemporary health problems, most notably obesity, are due to violating this legal guidance based on moderation. He pointed out that Islam does not call for deprivation, but it rejects extravagance, whether in the type or quantity of food, explaining that moderation in eating is a devotional behavior before it is a healthy lifestyle, because it reflects self-discipline, good management of blessings, and thanking God for them without extravagance or transgression. He stressed that raising children with a culture of moderation in food is a religious and moral responsibility that begins with the family.
