Experts Call for Medical Approach to Obesity at Lahore Event

On August 31, health experts in Lahore urged the medical community to treat obesity as a chronic disease, expanding access to medical and surgical care in Pakistan. The World Health Organization estimates that 43% of adults globally were overweight in 2022, with 16% living with obesity - a number that has more than doubled since 1990.

Pakistan is experiencing one of the fastest increases in obesity rates, with 23% of adults now affected, up 16.4% from a decade ago. Modeling projects that nearly 60% of Pakistani adults will be overweight and 25% obese within the next two decades, more than tripling in the past two decades. Health experts believe that around 38 million Pakistanis currently live with obesity, with women and urban residents particularly impacted.

Among children, 40% are overweight or obese, and without changes, 57% could be obese by the age of 35. The World Health Organization recognizes obesity as a chronic, relapsing disease that contributes to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other non-communicable diseases. At a recent Obesity Evening in Lahore hosted by Chisel Health, patients, healthcare professionals, and community members gathered to discuss awareness, education, and modern treatment options.

Keynote speaker Dr. Tanveer Abbas, Pakistan's youngest bariatric surgeon with the highest surgical volume, emphasized that obesity is not a matter of lifestyle or willpower, but a chronic disease that can be managed with personalized medical care and evidence-based treatment. Dr. Abbas stressed that with the right support, patients can achieve long-term health outcomes, not just weight loss.

The Obesity Evening marked a step towards integrating obesity into Pakistan's healthcare conversation, underscoring the need for greater awareness, earlier intervention, and broader access to effective treatment as the prevalence of obesity continues to rise across generations.