80pc adults have dangerous waistlines, experts warn

Business Recorder

14-05-2025

KARACHI: With more than 80 percent of Pakistani adults now suffering from excessive waistlines and over 70 percent of men and 80 percent of women classified as obese, health experts have declared obesity a full-blown public health emergency that is silently pushing the nation toward disaster.
Experts also revealed that 50 percent of adults are hypertensive, and one in three is diabetic, conditions directly linked to weight gain and inactivity.
At a health awareness camp organized by the Karachi Press Club (KPC) in collaboration with Getz Pharma, specialists from Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) warned that obesity is now killing Pakistani men at younger ages, causing infertility in women, and setting children on a path toward chronic disease.
Most troubling, they said that the majority of people remain unaware of these risks and continue to lead dangerously inactive lifestyles.
'We are raising a generation that is both obese and malnourished,' said Dr. Asma Ahmed, endocrinologist at AKUH, citing national data that shows 35 percent of women and 28 percent of children in Pakistan are obese. 'Obesity is not a cosmetic issue—it's a chronic disease that leads directly to hypertension, diabetes, infertility, and organ failure,' she warned. She pointed out that excessive screen time, junk food, and irregular routines are among the main reasons for this surge in obesity among children. 'Many people don't even know they are hypertensive, and unchecked blood pressure is silently damaging their kidneys, hearts, and brains,' Dr. Asma added.
She urged families to prioritize home-cooked, nutritious meals and reduce their intake of processed and fast food. 'Sleeping late, lack of physical activity, and poor diet are pushing the nation toward a health disaster,' she said.
Dr. Nazish Butt, Head of Gastroenterology at JPMC, echoed these concerns, noting that obesity is now a leading cause of diabetes, high cholesterol, strokes, and heart attacks in the country. 'People have simply stopped exercising. In Karachi, we're seeing particularly high obesity rates among women and children due to sedentary habits and increased consumption of frozen and junk foods,' she said, calling for urgent community-level lifestyle reforms.
Dr. Wajiha Javed, Public Health Expert at Getz Pharma, shared findings from the Pak Sehat baseline demographic survey—the first mini-Framingham study and bio bank of the South Asian population—which found that over 80 percent of women and 70 percent of men in Pakistan are obese. 'Fifty percent of adults also suffer from hypertension, and one in every three is diabetic,' she said. To address these alarming trends, she announced a three-year national initiative titled PREACH, launched by Getz Pharma, aimed at early detection, disease awareness, and referral pathways through private community health workers. Dr. Wajiha also mentioned the availability of semaglutide and tirzepatide—newer medications now available in Pakistan for patients with a BMI above 30, or above 27 with weight-related conditions like diabetes and hypertension. 'Under our Med One umbrella, we're partnering with healthcare stakeholders to promote screening and public awareness about metabolic disorders,' she added.
The screening camp at KPC provided free consultations for journalists and their families, many of whom were tested for obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.
The event was attended by KPC Joint Secretary Muhammad Munsif, Health Committee Secretary Hamid-ur-Rehman, and Getz Pharma representatives including Mikail Soomro, Agha Sadiq, and Head of Public Health Kashif Amin.
On the occasion, experts called for national-level public health campaigns, better food education, physical activity in schools and workplaces, and recognition of obesity as a serious chronic disease rather than a mere lifestyle issue.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025