Latest news with #Sik
Muscat Daily
5 days ago
- Health
- Muscat Daily
Turkey sees sharp rise in obesity
Istanbul, Turkey – Worldwide, over one billion people are living with obesity. It's become such a serious issue that the World Health Organization has called it an 'epidemic'. According to a 2022 WHO report, Turkey ranks first in Europe for rates of overweight and obesity, with 66.8% of people affected. Turkey is also one of the world's high-income nations that is experiencing the sharpest rise in obesity. By 2030, it's estimated that 27mn people in Turkey – or one in three – will be obese. Health and social experts attribute this trend to insufficient nutrition, social inequality, unhealthy food supplies and a lack of coherent policy strategies. Studies indicate that one in five children in Turkey suffers from malnutrition, at least 10% of whom are overweight or obese. 'Poverty is the problem' For years, Turkey has faced high food price inflation, reducing citizens' purchasing power. Hacer Foggo, a Turkish poverty researcher and activist, said the growing number of obese children can be linked to extreme poverty. 'Malnutrition can stunt growth and lead to obesity,' she said, pointing to a 2022 study by the Turkish Statistical Institute showing that 62.4% of children in Turkey predominantly eat bread and pasta. These findings, she added, have not been taken seriously enough. Bulent Sik, a food researcher, sees a direct link between the rise in child obesity and the widespread consumption of highly processed foods with low nutritional value and a high sugar content. 'The increasing consumption of cheap, easily accessible snacks and sugary soft drinks is directly tied to the rise in obesity,' he said. As long as the manufacturing of these products is not regulated, he added, most political measures remain merely symbolic. Sik also warned of another risk: the use of toxic chemicals in food production, such as pesticides and certain additives that are related to hormonal imbalances and weight gain. 'Some of these toxic substances have a negative impact on hormone systems,' he explained, 'which poses a serious threat, especially for growing children'. He cited a study by Greenpeace Turkey showing that one-third of produce sold in Istanbul contained pesticide residues that can disrupt hormones, impede neurological development and potentially cause cancer. Despite these findings, Sik said, government food oversight policies still focus primarily on calorie counting. National campaign Turkey's Health Ministry has launched a national public health campaign to combat obesity, setting up stations in busy public areas and at event venues to measure citizens' height, weight and body mass index, or BMI. The aim is to identify overweight individuals and refer them to health centres or general practitioners, where they can receive support from nutritional advisers. The ministry hopes its campaign, launched in mid-May, will reach 10mn citizens within two months and help raise awareness about the dangers of obesity while promoting a healthy lifestyle. But the effort has drawn criticism for stigmatising overweight individuals and overlooking the country's broader economic struggles. Healthy foods often expensive Experts say the state has not issued adequate guidelines for healthy eating or restricted the marketing of unhealthy foods. This lack of regulation is putting children and low-income communities at particular risk. 'Political decision-makers are responsible for creating solutions,' said Sik. Healthy and fresh foods are often more expensive and largely inaccessible to low-income households, leading to a nutritional imbalance. This contributes to obesity, growth disorders and iron deficiency in children. Both Sik and Foggo support a nationwide free school meal programme. Foggo criticised the government for failing to act, despite repeated calls. 'In the parliament's protocols, you can see that the Health Ministry has recognised the problem and sees that school meals are the solution. But not a single step has been taken,' she said. Turkey is also facing a shortage of professionals in the field. According to the health and social workers' union Saglik Sen, the number of dietitians working in public hospitals has dropped by nearly 20% over the past five years. DW
DW
5 days ago
- Health
- DW
Turkey sees sharp rise in obesity – DW – 06/01/2025
Experts have linked high body weight to poverty, pesticides and malnutrition, among other things. The Health Ministry is fighting back, but its measures are drawing criticism. Worldwide, over 1 billion people are living with obesity. It's become such a serious issue that the World Health Organization has called it an "epidemic." According to a 2022 WHO report , Turkey ranks first in Europe for rates of overweight and obesity, with 66.8% of people affected. Turkey is also one of the world's high-income nations that is experiencing the sharpest rise in obesity. By 2030, it's estimated that 27 million people in Turkey — or one in three — will be obese. Health and social experts attribute this trend to insufficient nutrition, social inequality, unhealthy food supplies and a lack of coherent policy strategies. Studies indicate that one in five children in Turkey suffers from malnutrition, at least 10% of whom are overweight or obese. 'Poverty is the problem' For years, Turkey has faced high food price inflation, reducing citizens' purchasing power. Hacer Foggo, a Turkish poverty researcher and activist, said the growing number of obese children can be linked to extreme poverty. "Malnutrition can stunt growth and lead to obesity," she said, pointing to a 2022 study by the Turkish Statistical Institute showing that 62.4% of children in Turkey predominantly eat bread and pasta. These findings, she added, have not been taken seriously enough. Bulent Sik, a food researcher, sees a direct link between the rise in child obesity and the widespread consumption of highly processed foods with low nutritional value and a high sugar content. "The increasing consumption of cheap, easily accessible snacks and sugary soft drinks is directly tied to the rise in obesity," he said. As long as the manufacturing of these products is not regulated, he added, most political measures remain merely symbolic. Sik also warned of another risk: the use of toxic chemicals in food production, such as pesticides and certain additives that are related to hormonal imbalances and weight gain. "Some of these toxic substances have a negative impact on hormone systems," he explained, "which poses a serious threat, especially for growing children." He cited a study by Greenpeace Turkey showing that one-third of produce sold in Istanbul contained pesticide residues that can disrupt hormones, impede neurological development and potentially cause cancer. Despite these findings, Sik said, government food oversight policies still focus primarily on calorie counting. Health Ministry launches national campaign Turkey's Health Ministry has launched a national public health campaign to combat obesity, setting up stations in busy public areas and at event venues to measure citizens' height, weight and body mass index, or BMI. The aim is to identify overweight individuals and refer them to health centers or general practitioners, where they can receive support from nutritional advisers. The ministry hopes its campaign, launched in mid-May, will reach 10 million citizens within two months and help raise awareness about the dangers of obesity while promoting a healthy lifestyle. Turkey's Health Ministry has launched a nationwide campaign in an effort to curb obesity Image: Eren Bozkurt/Anadolu/picture alliance But the effort has drawn criticism for stigmatizing overweight individuals and overlooking the country's broader economic struggles. Healthy foods often expensive, inaccessible Experts say the state has not issued adequate guidelines for healthy eating or restricted the marketing of unhealthy foods. This lack of regulation is putting children and low-income communities at particular risk. "Political decision-makers are responsible for creating solutions," said Sik. Healthy and fresh foods are often more expensive and largely inaccessible to low-income households, leading to a nutritional imbalance. This contributes to obesity, growth disorders and iron deficiency in children. Over half of Turkey's children reportedly eat mostly bread and pasta, which experts warn can cause malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies Image: Adem Alta/AFP Both Sik and Foggo support a nationwide free school meal program. Foggo criticized the government for failing to act, despite repeated calls. "In the parliament's protocols, you can see that the Health Ministry has recognized the problem and sees that school meals are the solution. But not a single step has been taken," she said. Turkey is also facing a shortage of professionals in the field. According to the health and social workers' union Saglik Sen, the number of dietitians working in public hospitals has dropped by nearly 20% over the past five years. This article was originally written in German.
Malay Mail
06-05-2025
- Malay Mail
Three shot dead in police raid on 4x4 theft syndicate hideout in Kedah
KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 — Police shot dead three men believed to be part of a four-wheel drive vehicle theft syndicate during a raid at a homestay in Taman Sejahtera, Sik, last Thursday. According to Sinar Harian, Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said the 2.30am raid followed intelligence on a syndicate stealing vehicles in Melaka, Selangor, Pahang, and Perak for cross-border smuggling. He said the three suspects, aged between 35 and 37, responded aggressively by firing shots at police and attacking with a machete. Police returned fire in self-defence, resulting in all suspects suffering fatal injuries at the scene. A subsequent search uncovered two pistols, several bullet casings and a machete believed to have been used by the suspects. Mohd Shuhaily said all three men were from Negeri Sembilan and had prior criminal records involving vehicle theft and drug-related offences. During the raid, police also found a Honda CR-V reported stolen in Petaling Jaya in April. A search of the vehicle revealed 26 fake licence plates and various tools used for car theft. The syndicate, active since 2023, is believed to be responsible for 73 cases of 4x4 vehicle theft, chosen for their ease of smuggling through illegal border routes. Later that same day, a joint operation involving Malaysian and Thai authorities in Songkhla led to the arrest of four Thai nationals believed to be vehicle couriers, while efforts continue to locate the syndicate leader and remaining members.
CBS News
27-01-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Minnesota grocery stores impacted by egg shortage, higher prices
WACONIA, Minn. — Eggs are in short supply at the grocery store and shoppers who can find them might be hit with sticker shock. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) predicts egg prices will increase more than 20% this year. When it comes to eggs, it's a hard pass for some shoppers. Cody Sik, who is the dairy manager at Mackenthun's Waconia, doesn't blame them. "Egg prices are a whole different story. They are constantly going up and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight," Sik said. According to the USDA, a bird flu resurgence killed more than 17 million egg-laying hens in November and December. That has egg suppliers struggling to get grocers and customers what they need. The result is record-high prices at some stores. To stock up, Mackenthun's orders cases of eggs at a time. Two months ago, a case of eggs was $60. Now, it's $110. "The Essential Everyday brand — that's kind of our store brand — that was sitting at $4 around Christmas and now it's all the way up to $7.59 for those eggs," Sik said. "Almost doubled." At least those eggs are in stock. The shelves for some brands sit empty. Sik is hoping prices start to drop next month, but that's not a guarantee. "If you ever seen non-expensive eggs on our shelves, just grab them. Because if you don't grab them right away, they are going to be out," Sik said. Then there are customers like Chris Tuttle, who won't leave the store without a dozen eggs. "It's been high and now it's even higher," Tuttle said.
