Saudi Gazette Obesity is considered to be one of the diseases of affluent sections of the society. It is the most prevalent nutritional disorders in developed countries. Lack of exercise coupled with diets rich in delicacies of all sorts: sweets, oily foods, creams, fatty meats, and more has led to an increase in the incidence of obesity in the Kingdom. According to a report in the Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 23.6% of Saudi women and 14.2% of Saudi men are obese. These numbers alone call for action to raise awareness on diet, exercise, and a healthier lifestyle because obesity causes a host of health problems. Obesity poses a risk for developing diabetes, heart disease, cancer, depression, and digestive disorders. Abdullah Asiri, a Saudi man who had suffered from the weight gain yo-yo for several years has helped create a web-site to educate and support other obese people to make informed decisions on how they can lose weight. One of the most important messages he gives is ‘You are not alone.' The web-site posted a number of personal stories of people who have been through similar experiences. “I was battling obesity since my childhood. During high school, by following a nutritional regimen, I was able to bring my weight down to 59 kg, which was normal for my height. Unfortunately, after graduation and after marriage, I started gaining weight again, until my weight jumped to 157 kg,” said Asiri. Being obese is not pleasant both physically and emotionally. Asiri recounts, “ The society is very harsh on obese people. The obese becomes the joke and laughing stock of the young and old. Even when I knew they did not intend to hurt me, these remarks still had a negative impact on me.” Asiri, as is common in the excessively overweight, worried about sleep apnea. In this sleep disorder largely caused by obesity, the victim experiences a shortness of breath, and wakes up gasping to catch breath. This choking can be repeated several times a night. Interrupted sleep brings on its own list of problems, such as: daytime sleepiness, irritability, poor memory and concentration, mood swings, and high blood pressure. After much heartache and deliberation, Asiri decided to undergo gastric bypass surgery. His surgery was performed by Dr. Ali Mani' Al-Ahmari in Aseer Central Hospital. “The volume of my stomach was reduced by around 70%. In one year and four months, I lost 100 kg and I have been able to maintain this weight loss for the past 2 years,” he said. When Asiri was contemplating the operation, he noticed that there was a lack of information about it from both patients and surgeons here in Saudi Arabia. He created this web-site to fill in this informational gap and provide detailed information on weight loss to the large number of people who are suffering from obesity all over the Kingdom. People suffering from obesity must remember that surgery is not the optimal solution for weight loss. The ideal way to lose weight is through regular exercise, a balanced nutritional program, and healthy lifestyle. __
