Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Obesity in Middle East

  • Living reference work entry
  • Latest version View entry history
  • First Online:
Metabolic Syndrome

  • 31 Accesses

Abstract

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region encompasses 18 countries at various levels of economic development – high-income (Qatar, Saudi Arabia), upper-middle-income (Jordan, Iraq), lower-middle-income (Egypt, Morocco), and low-income countries (Syria, Yemen). As in the rest of the world, rising obesity prevalence has also been documented in the MENA countries, with roughly one-fifth of the adult population in the region considered as obese. Against this background, this article: (i) documents the prevalence of obesity in the region (both, from the literature and official statistical sources); (ii) identifies the major correlates of obesity; and (iii) assesses and documents the literature that links obesity with some of the most prevalent noncommunicable diseases (inter alia, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases). We argue that the levels of obesity in the region are high and still increasing, with gender, age, income, education, nutrition patterns, and urbanization acting as the most prominent and robust correlates of obesity in the MENA region. The rates of child obesity are increasing, thus posing significant long-term health risks for the countries in the region. Finally, we argue that, in the context of MENA countries, there is robust link between obesity and certain chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Data for Chart 3 comes from the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Obesity.

References

  1. World Health Organization. Obesity in the Middle East and North Africa. 2019. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight. Accessed 1 Dec 2022

  2. World Development Indicators (WDI). World Bank. 2019. https://databank.worldbank.org/source/worlddevelopment-indicators. Accessed 1 Dec 2022

  3. World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Alwan A, McColl K, Al-Jawaldeh A. Proposed policy priorities for preventing obesity and diabetes in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. World Health Organization. Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. 2017. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/259519. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

  4. Musaiger AO, Hassan AS, Obeid O. The paradox of nutrition-related diseases in the Arab countries: the need for action. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2011;8(9):3637–71.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Al Ali R, Rastam S, Fouad FM, Mzayek F, Maziak W. Modifiable cardiovascular risk factors among adults in Aleppo, Syria. Int J Public Health. 2011;56(6):653–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Abu-Rmeileh NM, Husseini A, Capewell S, O’Flaherty M. Preventing type 2 diabetes among Palestinians: comparing five future policy scenarios. BMJ Open. 2013;3(12):e003558.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Berraho M, El Achhab Y, Benslimane A, Rhazi KE, Chikri M, Nejjari C. Hypertension and type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study in Morocco (EPIDIAM Study). Pan Afr Med J. 2012;11(1):52.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Atek M, Traissac P, El Ati J, Laid Y, Aounallah-Skhiri H, Eymard-Duvernay S … Maire B. Obesity and association with area of residence, gender and socio-economic factors in Algerian and Tunisian adults. PLoS One. 2013;8(10):e75640.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Ajlouni K, Khader Y, Batieha A, Jaddou H, El-Khateeb M. An alarmingly high and increasing prevalence of obesity in Jordan. Epidemiol Health. 2020;42:e2020040. https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2020040. Epub 2020 Jun 6.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Ahmed HG, Ginawi IA, Elasbali AM, Ashankyty IM, Al-hazimi AM. Prevalence of obesity in hail region, KSA: in a Comprehensive Survey. J Obes. 2014;2014:961861.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Mandil A, Chaaya M, Saab D. Health status, epidemiological profile and prospectus: eastern Mediterranean region. Int J Epidemiol/Global Status Epidemiol. 2013;42:616–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Al-Daghri NM, Al-Attas OS, Alokail MS, Alkharfy KM, Yousef M, Sabico SL, Chrousos GP. Diabetes mellitus type 2 and other chronic non-communicable diseases in the central region, Saudi Arabia (Riyadh cohort 2): a decade of an epidemic. BMC Med. 2011;9(1):76.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Amin TT, Al Sultan AI, Mostafa OA, Darwish AA, Al-Naboli MR. Profile of non-communicable disease risk factors among employees at a Saudi University. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2014;15(18):7897.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Nikoloski Z. Determinants of diabetes in Kuwait: evidence from the World Health Survey. LSE Middle East Centre Paper Series 28 December 2019 LSE Middle East Centre Kuwait Programme Paper Series 6 August 2020. 2020. https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/106254/1/Nikoloski_determinants_of_diabetes_in_kuwait_published.pdf

  15. Oguoma VM, Coffee NT, Alsharrah S, Abu-Farha M, Al-Refaei FH, Al-Mulla F, Daniel M. Prevalence of overweight and obesity, and associations with socio-demographic factors in Kuwait. BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):667. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10692-1.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Al-Saadi R, Al-Shukaili S, Al-Mahrazi S, Al-Busaidi Z. Prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension in primary care settings in Al Seeb Wilayat, Oman. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2011;11(3):349.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Al-Sharafi BA, Gunaid AA. Prevalence of obesity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Yemen. International journal of endocrinology and metabolism. 2014;12(2):e13633.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Ali F, Nikoloski Z, Reka H, Gjebrea O, Mossialos E. The diabetes-obesity-hypertension nexus in Qatar: evidence from the World Health Survey. Popul Health Metrics. 2014;12:18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Albaker W, Saklawi R, Bah S, Motawei K, Futa B, Al-Hariri M. What is the current status of childhood obesity in Saudi Arabia? Evidence from 20,000 cases in the Eastern Province: a cross-sectional study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2022;101(27):e29800. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000029800.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Cheema S, Abraham A, El-Nahas KG, Abou-Amona R, Al-Hamaq AO, Maisonneuve P, Chaabna K, Lowenfels AB, Mamtani R. Assessment of overweight, obesity, central obesity, and type 2 diabetes among adolescents in Qatar: a cross-sectional study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(21):14601. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114601.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Baniissa W, Radwan H, Rossiter R, Fakhry R, Al-Yateem N, Al-Shujairi A, Hasan S, Macridis S, Farghaly AA, Naing L, Awad MA. Prevalence and determinants of overweight/obesity among school-aged adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: a cross-sectional study of private and public schools. BMJ Open. 2020;10(12):e038667. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038667.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Osei Bonsu E, Addo IY. Prevalence and correlates of overweight and obesity among under-five children in Egypt. Front Public Health. 2022;10:1067522. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1067522.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Abd El-Aty NS, Osman SR, Ahmed ES, GadAllah MA. Overweight and obesity prevalence among upper Egypt primary schools’ children using Egyptian and CDC growth charts. Appl Nurs Res. 2020;56:151346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2020.151346. Epub 2020 Aug 27.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Okour AM, Saadeh RA, Hijazi MH, Khalaileh HEA, Alfaqih MA. Socioeconomic status, perceptions and obesity among adolescents in Jordan. Pan Afr Med J. 2019;34:148. https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2019.34.148.19641.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Nouayti H, Bouanani NH, Hammoudi J, Mekhfi H, Legssyer A, Bnouham M, Ziyyat A. Overweight and obesity in Eastern Morocco: prevalence and associated risk factors among high school students. Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique. 2020;68(5):295–301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respe.2020.06.007. Epub 2020 Sep 4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Hammad SS, Berry DC. The child obesity epidemic in Saudi Arabia: a review of the literature. J Transcult Nurs. 2017;28(5):505–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/1043659616668398. Epub 2016 Sep 21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Alqaoud N, Al-Jawaldeh A, Al-Anazi F, Subhakaran M, Doggui R. Trend and Causes of Overweight and Obesity among Pre-School Children in Kuwait. Children (Basel). 2021;8(6):524. https://doi.org/10.3390/children8060524.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Salem V, AlHusseini N, Abdul Razack HI, Naoum A, Sims OT, Alqahtani SA. Prevalence, risk factors, and interventions for obesity in Saudi Arabia: a systematic review. Obes Rev. 2022;23(7):e13448. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13448. Epub 2022 Mar 26.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Bos M, Agyemang C. Prevalence and complications of diabetes mellitus in Northern Africa, a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2013;13(1):387.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  30. Al Zenki S, Al Omirah H, Al Hooti S, Al Hamad N, Jackson RT, Rao A, Al Othman A. High prevalence of metabolic syndrome among Kuwaiti adults – a wake-up call for public health intervention. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2012;9(5):1984–96.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Al Nohair S. Obesity in gulf countries. Int J Health Sci. 2014;8(1):79–83.

    Google Scholar 

  32. El Rhazi K, Nejjari C, Zidouh A, Bakkali R, Berraho M, Barberger Gateau P. Prevalence of obesity and associated sociodemographic and lifestyle factors in Morocco. Public Health Nutr. 2011;14(1):160–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Ahmed F, Waslien C, Al-Sumaie MA, Prakash P. Secular trends and risk factors of overweight and obesity among Kuwaiti adults: National Nutrition Surveillance System data from 1998 to 2009. Public Health Nutr. 2012;15(11):2124–30.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Fatemeh T, Mohammad-Mehdi HT, Toba K, Afsaneh N, Sharifzadeh G. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in preschool children (2–5 year-olds) in Birjand, Iran. BMC Res Notes. 2012;5(1):529.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  35. Katsaiti MS, El Anshasy AA. On the determinants of obesity: evidence from the UAE. Appl Econ. 2014;46(30):3649–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. AI-Isa A. Changes in body mass index and prevalence of obesity among adult Kuwaiti women attending health clinics. Ann Saudi Med. 1997;17:307–11.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Aitsi-Selmi A, Chandola T, Friel S, Nouraei R, Shipley MJ, Marmot MG. Interaction between education and household wealth on the risk of obesity in women in Egypt. PLoS One. 2012;7(6):e39507.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  38. Hajat C, Harrison O, Shather Z. A profile and approach to chronic disease in Abu Dhabi. Glob Health. 2012;8:18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Bamoshmoosh M, Massetti L, Aklan H, Al-Karewany M, Al Goshae H, Modesti PA. Central obesity in Yemeni children: a population based cross-sectional study. World J Cardiol. 2013;5(8):295.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. Al-Hazzaa HM, Abahussain NA, Al-Sobayel HI, Qahwaji DM, Musaiger AO. Lifestyle factors associated with overweight and obesity among Saudi adolescents. BMC Public Health. 2012;12(1):354.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  41. Bazhan M, Kalantari N, Hoshyarrad A. Diet composition and risk of overweight and obesity in Iranian adolescent girls. Tehran: Department of Food Science and Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University; 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Gharib N, Raseed P. Energy and macronutrient intake and dietary pattern among school children in Bahrain: a cross-sectional study. Nut J. 2011;10:62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Musaiger AO. Overweight and obesity in Eastern Mediterranean Region: prevalence and possible causes. J Obes. 2011;2011:407237.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  44. World Health Organization. Global status report on noncommunicable diseases 2014. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2015

    Google Scholar 

  45. Ng SW, Zaghloul S, Ali H, Harrison G, Yeatts K, El Sadig M, Popkin BM. Nutrition transition in The United Arab Emirates. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2011;65(12):1328–37.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Rahim HF, Sibai A, Khader Y, et al. Non-communicable diseases in the Arab world. Lancet. 2014;383(9914):356–67.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. World Bank. The growing danger of non-communicable diseases acting now to reverse course. Washington, DC: World Bank; 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  48. Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD). Global, regional, and national age–sex specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality for 240 causes of death, 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. The Lancet. 2013;385(9963):117–71.

    Google Scholar 

  49. International Diabetes Federation (IDF). IDF Diabetes Atlas. 2014. http://www.idf.org/diabetesatlas

  50. Alharbi NS, Almutari R, Jones S, Al-Daghri N, Khunti K, de Lusignan S. Trends in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity in the Arabian Gulf States: systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2014;106(2):30–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Musaiger AO, Al-Hazzaa HM. Prevalence and risk factors associated with nutrition-related noncommunicable diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Int J Gen Med. 2012;5:199–217.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  52. Zabetian A, Keli HM, Echouffo-Tcheugui JB, Narayan KMV, Ali MK. Diabetes in the Middle East and North Africa. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2013;101(2):106–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Costanian C, Bennett K, Hwalla N, Assaad S, Sibai AM. Prevalence, correlates and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Lebanon: findings from a national population-based study. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2014;105(3):408–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Badr HE, Shah NM, Shah MA. Obesity among Kuwaitis aged 50 years or older: prevalence, correlates, and comorbidities. The Gerontologist. 2013;53(4):555–66.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Alarouj M, Bennakhi A, Alnesef Y, Sharifi M, Elkum N. Diabetes and associated cardiovascular risk factors in the State of Kuwait: the first national survey. Int J Clin Pract. 2013;67(1):89–96.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Alqurashi KA, Aljabri KS, Bokhari SA. Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in a Saudi community. Ann Saudi Med. 2011;31(1):19–23.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  57. El Bcheraoui C, Basulaiman M, Tuffaha M, et al. Status of the diabetes epidemic in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2013. Int J Public Health. 2014;59(6):1011–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Christos PJ, Chemaitelly H, Abu-Raddad LJ, Ali Zirie M, Deleu D, Mushlin AI. Prevention of type II diabetes mellitus in Qatar: who is at risk? Qatar Med J. 2014;2014(2):13.

    Google Scholar 

  59. Kang YS. Obesity associated hypertension: new insights into mechanism. Electr Blood Pressure. 2013;11(2):46–52.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Tailakh A, Evangelista LS, Mentes JC, Pike NA, Phillips LR, Morisky DE. Hypertension prevalence, awareness, and control in Arab countries: a systematic review. Nurs Health Sci. 2014;16(1):126–30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Alsheikh-Ali AA, Omar MI, Raal FJ, et al. Cardiovascular risk factor burden in Africa and the Middle East: The Africa Middle East Cardiovascular Epidemiological (ACE) study. PLoS One. 2014;9(8):e102830.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  62. Barakat H, Barakat H, Baaj MK. CVD and obesity in transitional Syria: a perspective from the middle east. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2012;8(1):145–50.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  63. Talaei M, Sadeghi M, Marshall T, et al. Impact of metabolic syndrome on ischemic heart disease – a prospective cohort study in an Iranian adult population: Isfahan Cohort Study. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2012;22(5):434–41.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Turner JM, Bauer C, Abramowitz MK, Melamed ML, Hostetter TH. Treatment of chronic kidney disease. Kidney Int. 2012;81(4):351–62.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Wickman C, Kramer H. Obesity and kidney disease: potential mechanisms. Semin Nephrol. 2013;33(1):14–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Shaheen FA, Souqiyyeh MZ. Kidney health in the Middle East. Clin Nephrol. 2010;74(Suppl 1):S85–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Barzin M, Hosseinpanah F, Serahati S, Salehpour M, Nassiri AA, Azizi F. Changes in waist circumference and incidence of chronic kidney disease. Eur J Clin Investig. 2014;44(5):470–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Tohidi M, Hasheminia M, Mohebi R, Khalili D, Hosseinpanah F, et al. Incidence of chronic kidney disease and its risk factors, results of over 10 year follow up in an Iranian Cohort. PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e45304.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  69. Khajehdehi P, Malekmakan L, Pakfetrat M, Roozbeh J, Sayadi M. Prevalence of chronic kidney disease and its contributing risk factors in southern Iran: a cross-sectional adult population-based study. Iran J Kidney Dis. 2014;8(2):109–15.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. Hajian-Tilaki KO, Gholizadehpasha AR, Bozorgzadeh S, Hajian-Tilaki E. Body mass index and waist circumference are predictor biomarkers of breast cancer risk in Iranian women. Med Oncol. 2011;28(4):1296–301.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  71. Bener A. Colon cancer in rapidly developing countries: review of the lifestyle, dietary, consanguinity and hereditary risk factors. Oncol Rev. 2011;5(1):5–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  72. Finucane MM, Stevens GA, Cowan MJ, et al. National, regional, and global trends in body-mass index since 1980: systematic analysis of health examination surveys and epidemiological studies with 960 country-years and 9·1 million participants. Lancet. 2011;377(9765):557–67.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  73. Riyadh Declaration. The Riyadh Declaration. edited by International Conference on Healthy Lifestyles and Non communicable Diseases (NCDs) in the Arab World and the Middle East. Saudi Arabia. 2012.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. London School of Economics, London, UK

    Zlatko Nikoloski

Authors
  1. Zlatko Nikoloski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zlatko Nikoloski .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA

    Rexford S. Ahima

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Nikoloski, Z. (2023). Obesity in Middle East. In: Ahima, R.S. (eds) Metabolic Syndrome. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12125-3_6-2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12125-3_6-2

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-12125-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-12125-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Obesity in Middle East
    Published:
    01 August 2023

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12125-3_6-2

  2. Original

    Obesity in Middle East
    Published:
    22 July 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12125-3_6-1

Search

Navigation