KARACHI: Obesity is silently fueling a national health crisis, causing early deaths in men, infertility in women and long-term complications in children, warned leading health experts.

Speaking at a briefing at the Karachi Press Club, they described obesity as the “mother of all non-communicable diseases” and shared that a vast majority of Pakistan’s population has a high waist circumference, increasing the risk of developing multiple health problems.

Dr Asma Ahmed, a senior endocrinologist associated with the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), referred to a national survey showing that 35 per cent of women and 28pc of children in Pakistan are obese, while over four out of five adults have “unhealthy” waist sizes.

“Obesity must be recognised as a disease. It’s not merely a lifestyle issue, as it directly contributes to hypertension, diabetes, infertility, and organ damage,” Dr Ahmed emphasised.

Excessive screen time, junk food and late-night routines leading to rising cases of obesity among children

According to her, sedentary lifestyles among children — dominated by excessive screen time, junk food, and late-night routines — are leading to rising obesity.

“We are raising a generation that is both obese and malnourished. Many people remain unaware that they have high blood pressure, and untreated hypertension — often linked to obesity — is causing damage to kidneys, hearts, and brains,” she pointed out.

She lamented that infertility among women is on the rise, and the underlying problem in many cases is weight gain and hormonal imbalance.

“Sudden lifestyle changes like sleeping late, lack of physical activity, and fast food consumption are pushing people toward a health disaster,” she said, urging families to shift toward home-cooked meals and cut back on processed foods.

Endorsing her concerns, Dr Nazish Butt, head of the gastroenterology and hepatology department at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, said that obesity must be treated as a serious disease, as it leads to other illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

“People have stopped exercising. In Karachi, we’re seeing rising obesity among women and children due to sedentary lifestyles and the growing use of junk and frozen foods,” she said.

She warned that habits like staying up late and excessive screen time are worsening the crisis.

“We must push for lifestyle reform at the community level,” she emphasised.

Dr Wajiha Javed, representing Getz Pharma, said the Pak Sehat baseline demographic survey — the first mini Framingham study and biobank of the South Asian population — revealed that over 80pc of women and 70pc of men in Pakistan are obese.

“Around 50 per cent of adults have hypertension, and one in three is diabetic,” she said.

To address undiagnosed hypertension and the lack of a standardised treatment plan, she announced a three-year national initiative — PREACH — launched by the pharmaceutical company.

“The programme involves screening by private community health workers, creating disease awareness, and building referral pathways to train healthcare professionals,” she explained.

The camp at the press club provided free screening and consultations for members and their families.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2025