Chairman of International Obesity Task Force to address UAE doctors

The Chairman of the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and Director of the Public Health Policy Group (UK), Prof. James will hold a symposium entitled 'Obesity; developing new standards for medical intervention'.

The symposium will be chaired by Dr. Ali Bakir, Head of the Endocrinology Department, Mafraq Hospital and the principal investigator of the Emirates National Diabetes Study (ENDCAD) which discovered that 74% of the random group studied were either overweight or obese. The meeting is being sponsored by Abbott Laboratories and Gulf Drug Establishment.

Professor James has played a leading role in raising international awareness of obesity. As chairman of the IOTF, he gathered together a large group of leading international experts to produce a report, now adopted by the World Health Organisation, which documents the growing levels of obesity and proposes ways in which countries can tackle this global problem.

He was also the principal investigator of a landmark trial in obesity called the STORM trial, which showed that intervention was necessary not only to lose weight but to maintain weight loss over a long time. The drug used in the study was Reductil.

"Obesity is one of the most important medical and health problems of our time," he says. "That is whether we judge importance by shorter expectation of life, increased morbidity, or cost to the community in terms of both money and anxiety. Obesity is a chronic disease, demanding long-term management strategies working to pre-set goals."

The symposium will deal with patient identification and assessment and initiation of weight management. Prof. James will also discuss the role of Sibutramine (Reductil) in a weight management programme. Reductil has demonstrated effectiveness for both weight loss and maintenance of weight loss. Taken once daily, it works centrally and causes patients to feel satisfied with smaller portions of food. It has been proven to help patients lose 5 percent to 10 percent of their initial body weight, and is up to five times more effective than diet and exercise alone.

"For most patients trying to lose excess weight, we recommend the '10, 20, 30' regime, which entails 10mg Sibutramine, 20% less food, and at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. This could be something as simple as three ten minute walks every day."

Speaking about the symposium, Dr. Bakir highlighted the need to raise awareness on the issue of obesity. "Before we conducted ENDCAD, the problems of diabetes and obesity had been underestimated. We alerted the medical community of the need to screen people at a younger age. It is very important to install healthy eating habits as young as possible. The best way to maintain a healthy diet is through a balance of diet and exercise."

He pointed out that meetings like this were necessary as there continues to be a high prevalence of obesity across all communities in the UAE.

Ibrahim Aql, General Manager, Gulf region, Abbott Laboratories, added, "Abbott is continuously contributing to increasing knowledge within the health community, and we are delighted to have someone of Professor James' stature hold a symposium here to highlight this important issue."