With more than 1 billion people living with obesity worldwide, health experts in Lahore on August 31 called for treating obesity as a chronic disease and expanding access to medical and surgical care in Pakistan.
Obesity has emerged as a major public health challenge. The World Health Organization estimates that in 2022, 43% of adults globally were overweight and 16% were living with obesity – more than double the rate recorded in 1990.
Pakistan is seeing one of the fastest increases. According to WHO data for 2022, 23% of Pakistani adults were living with obesity, marking a 16.4% increase over the previous decade. Modeled estimates show nearly 60% of adults are now overweight and 25% are obese with obesity rates having more than tripled in 20 years.
Health experts estimate around 38 million Pakistanis are currently living with obesity, with women and urban residents disproportionately impacted. Among children, 40% are overweight or obese, and projections warn that 57% of Pakistani children could be obese by age 35 if current trends continue.
A WHO-supported STEPS survey previously found low physical activity and inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption to be significant risk factors. The WHO also classifies obesity as a chronic, relapsing disease* linked to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other non-communicable diseases.
Against this backdrop, Chisel Health concluded its Obesity Awareness Week with an Obesity Evening in Lahore on August 31, bringing together patients, healthcare professionals and community members for discussions on awareness, education and modern treatment options.
Speakers highlighted the need to move away from viewing obesity as solely a matter of lifestyle or willpower, and stressed the importance of personalized medical care and evidence-based treatment.
At the forefront of this evolving field is Dr. Tanveer Abbas, recognized as Pakistan’s youngest bariatric surgeon with the highest surgical volume. Through Chisel Health, Dr. Abbas has established a dedicated obesity-focused centre where patients receive comprehensive assessment and treatment under one roof. The centre offers a multidisciplinary approach to weight management, with a focus on advanced bariatric surgery and weight loss procedures.
“We need to stop seeing obesity as a failure of willpower. It is a chronic disease. With the right medical and surgical support, patients can achieve long-term health outcomes, not just weight loss,” Dr. Tanveer Abbas said.
The Obesity Evening represented another step in Chisel Health’s efforts to bring obesity into the centre of Pakistan’s healthcare conversation. As obesity continues to rise across generations, initiatives such as Obesity Awareness Week underscore the need for greater awareness, earlier intervention and broader access to effective treatment.
The post Experts Call for Medical Approach to Obesity at Lahore Event appeared first on ProPakistani.
