Obesity is gaining ground in Morocco. A phenomenon that might cause other diseases and affect the health of those affected.
You have no doubt noticed it. Most Moroccans frequent fast food, snacks, especially in Casablanca. Except that this passion for fast food might cause overweight or even obesity. A phenomenon that has taken on worrying proportions in recent years in Morocco. The world day once morest this malnutrition, celebrated on March 4, 2022, was an opportunity to take an interest in it.
And the numbers are worrying. 20% of Moroccans are affected, according to the national survey on common risk factors for non-communicable diseases 2017-2018, the latest reference publication. According to this study by the Ministry of Health, 20% of adults over the age of 20 are obese. This situation is more noticeable in urban areas, which concentrate 22.8% of cases, once morest 14.9% in rural areas. Malnutrition that mainly affects women who represent 29% in this lot, far from 11% among men.
Obesity has grown considerably in Morocco over the past fifteen years. According to the ministry, its prevalence increased by 34% between 2004 and 2017. According to Pr. Jaâfar Heikel, president of the National College of Nutritionist Physicians, the imbalance of energy expenditure, genetic problems, the socio-economic environment and the situation psychological are the main causes of obesity. According to him, obese people can develop non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer. He asserts that a group of Moroccan doctors and scientists have created the “Moroccan Obesity Task Force” to raise public awareness of the primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of obesity.
Prevention
According to the man who is also president of the Moroccan Society of Health and Environment Nutrition, experts recommend “teaching the child, from birth, good eating habits and adopting a multidimensional approach during the different cycles of life. and integrated”. For him, advertisements, the media as well as civil society play a very important role in the fight once morest obesity when they convey positive messages to the younger generations.
The Ministry of Health and Social Protection is not left out. To combat this phenomenon and its complications, it has drawn up an operational plan for the prevention and control of overweight and obesity in children for the period 2018-2025. This program revolves around three strategic axes, improving the offer of care in terms of screening and management of overweight and obesity in children and women, the promotion of healthy diet and regular physical activity at all stages of an individual’s life, and finally the fight once morest the obesogenic environment. Different strategies that aim to prevent the dangers of being overweight.