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<\/p>\nISLAMABAD, May 24 (EPI): A health and obesity screening medical camp was organized at the National Press Club in collaboration with Getz Pharma for the convenience of NPC members and their families.<\/p>\n
In this camp, expert doctors conducted tests for obesity, blood pressure, and diabetes, and provided useful advice to the members.<\/p>\n
An awareness session was also held during the medical camp, where expert doctors shared information that Obesity is silently crushing Pakistan\u2019s economy, costing the country an estimated $3.41 billion annually \u2014 over Rs950 billion \u2014 and threatening to double to $7.6 billion (Rs2.13 trillion) by 2030 if urgent measures are not taken, health experts warned on Saturday.<\/p>\n
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Citing data from the World Obesity Federation at an awareness session held at the National Press Club (NPC) Islamabad, senior endocrinologists and public health officials described obesity as both a national health emergency and a major economic liability.
\nThe experts said the financial toll stems from increased public and private healthcare expenditures, rising absenteeism, reduced workplace productivity, and premature deaths caused by obesity-related complications.<\/p>\n
The escalating burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular ailments, fatty liver, and kidney disorders \u2014 all linked to excess body weight \u2014 is draining vital national resources while shrinking the country\u2019s productive labor force.<\/p>\n
An alarming picture emerged from a free screening camp conducted at NPC in collaboration with Getz Pharma, where around 150 journalists and their family members were tested. More than 70 percent were found to be overweight or obese, while 25 percent showed signs of diabetes and elevated blood pressure.<\/p>\n
Experts termed these findings a wake-up call for all sectors of society, especially policymakers.<\/p>\n
Renowned endocrinologist Prof. Rauf Niazi said 70 to 80 percent of Pakistanis, including children, now fall in the overweight or obese category. He blamed the crisis on the unchecked consumption of carbohydrate-laden diets, processed snacks, sugary drinks, and junk food, coupled with a sedentary lifestyle.<\/p>\n
\u201cObesity is not only making men impotent and women infertile due to PCOS, but is also the leading cause of early diabetes, strokes, heart attacks, and kidney damage through metabolic changes,\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n
Prof. Niazi further revealed that over 85 percent of the population may already be suffering from fatty liver disease \u2014 a dangerous, often unnoticed condition that disrupts cholesterol metabolism, triggers inflammation, and elevates cardiovascular risk.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a time bomb. People remain unaware until it’s too late,\u201d he said, urging a return to simpler, healthier lifestyles. \u201cThe Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had a flat belly, ate less, walked regularly, swam, and exercised with Hazrat Ali. That\u2019s the example we need to follow,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n
Dr. Mumtaz Ali Khan, Chief of Communicable Disease Control at the National Institute of Health (NIH), said Pakistanis are aging at an accelerated rate due to obesity and poor lifestyle habits.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost individuals screened at NPC were biologically at least ten years older than their actual age. We\u2019re becoming an old, diseased nation far too early,\u201d he said.
\nAs a pediatrician, he expressed grave concern over rising childhood obesity, pointing to screen addiction, processed food, and lack of physical activity. \u201cWe mistakenly equate fat with healthy in children. That mindset is dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Muhammad Ali Arif, an endocrinologist at PIMS Islamabad, called for fiscal and policy interventions. \u201cWhite sugar, bakery items, sugary drinks, and ultra-processed foods must be heavily taxed. These are not nutritional necessities but are being consumed in alarming amounts,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Declaring obesity a disease, not a choice, he stressed the need for mass education, behavioral therapy, and structured lifestyle change programs. \u201cPeople must eat 25 to 30 percent less, skip roti and rice when possible, avoid liquid calories, and adopt simple habits like walking and chewing slowly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Experts also recommended the supervised use of newly introduced anti-obesity drugs such as GLP-1 agonists for patients with chronic obesity.<\/p>\n
These medications, now locally available, can help reduce body weight by 10 to 15 percent and offer substantial health benefits when used appropriately.
\nKashif Amin, Director Public Health at Getz Pharma, spoke about the company\u2019s mission to promote preventive healthcare across Pakistan.<\/p>\n
NPC President Azhar Jatoi welcomed the initiative and thanked the medical professionals for their efforts in educating the journalist community and conducting the screening camp.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"