NGO dedicated to study and tackle obesity

Chandigarh, Aug 10 (UNI) Concerned over the increasing prevalence of obesity, an NGO, Association for the Study of Obesity (ASO), was launched here today.

The NGO would be committed to bring awareness about obesity and initiating measures to control it, Dr Navin C Raina, Laparoscopic Surgeon at Fortis Hospital here said at the launch of the ASO.

Punjab Advocate General H S Mattewal, speaking on the occasion, stressed the need for recognising obesity as a disease and expressed hope that punjab government and ASO would work together for the control of the disease widespread in the region.

He announced that Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal had sanctioned a donation of Rs two lakh from his discretionary fund to the study of obesity.

Dr Raina, who is also co-ordinator of the association said, ''If the trend of the emerging figures on obesity prevalence particularly in the Urban population remains unchecked, India would shortly be the Diabetes capital of the world with estimated 84 per cent of the population living in urban areas as against 61.1 per cent in the rest of the world by 2025." Dr Raina said the ASO had adopted the tri-city where it would begin to work, shortly. The organisation would also launch ASO Obesity Website for free registration and counselling of obese patients, Dr Raina informed.

The association would also help to spread awarenes that with addition of one kg weight over the estimated normal, the risk of cardio-vascular disease increases by 3.1 per cent and with reduction of one kg, survival increases by 3-4 months, he said.

"Also with reduction of 10 kgs weight the fasting blood sugar is expected to fall by 30-50 per cent with 90 per cent reduction in Angina (chest pain due to heart ischemia), 10-20 per cent reduction in Blood Pressure and finally decrease in overall mortality by 20-25 per cent," he added.

Talking about childhood obesity, Dr Raina pointed out that scientific evidence suggest that the process of thickening of blood vessels (atherosclerosis) starts when one is young.

"Obesity in childhood adds to the process and diabetes appears early. Besides genetic playing some role, it is often the type and quantity of food consumed by children, automated transport and passive leisure pursuits which contribute to childhood obesity," he said.

He said that in a study conducted to assess prevalence of obesity amongst affluent adolescent school children in Amritsar, out of 640 children evaluated the prevalence of overweight and obesity amongst them was found to be high, and even higher than some industrialised countries.

UNI