Central Health Board

Central Health Board

of Khoja Shia Ithna-asheri Supreme Council

P. O. Box: 6710 Tel:255-22-2150897 Fax: 255-22-2150964

Email: federation@raha.com, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Ref: CHB/Flash/2007/39 Date: August 14, 2007

CHB NEWS FLASH

From the recent Health Screening program carried out in one of our Jamaats in Africa, the resulting ratio of Obese and overweight people compared to ideal weight was shocking.

Body Mass Index (BMI)	Male	Female	Total
BMI <18	7	2	9
BMI healthy 18 - 25	98	58	156
BMI overweight 25 - 30	75	83	158
BMI obese >30	51	94	145
Total Number Screened	231	237	468

Above are the actual numbers of people screened:

and below are pie charts showing the percentage of both, male and female results of the Health Screening.

Below is a table identifying the risk of associated disease according to BMI and waist size:-

BMI	Category	Waist less than or equal to 40 in. (men) or 35 in. (women)	Waist greater than 40 in. (men) or 35 in. (women)
18.5 or less	Underweight	N/A	N/A
18.5 - 24.9	Normal	N/A	N/A
25.0 - 29.9	Overweight	Increased Risk	High Risk
30.0 - 34.9	Obese	High Risk	Very High Risk
35.0 - 39.9	Obese	Very High Risk	Very High Risk
40 or greater	Extremely Obese	Extremely High Risk	Extremely High Risk

Obesity At A Glance

Obesity means having excess body fat. For adults 35 and older, BMI greater than 27 is considered obese.

Obesity is not just a cosmetic consideration. It is a chronic medical disease that can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, gallstones, and other chronic illnesses.

Obesity is difficult to treat and has a high relapse rate. Greater than 95% of those who lose weight regain the weight within 5 years.

Even though medications and diets can help, the treatment of obesity cannot be a short-term "fix" but has to be a life-long commitment to proper diet habits, increased physical activity, and regular exercise.

The goal of treatment should be to achieve and maintain a "healthier weight", not necessarily an ideal weight.

Even a modest weight loss of 5% - 10% of initial weight and the long-term maintenance of that weight loss can bring significant health benefits by lowering blood pressure and lowering the risks of diabetes and heart disease.

Chances of long-term successful weight loss are enhanced if the doctor works with a team of professionals including dietitians, psychologists, and exercise professionals.

Physical inactivity. Sedentary people burn fewer calories than people who are active. Several surveys showed that physical inactivity is strongly correlated with weight gain in both sexes.

Being overweight or obese increases the risk of many diseases and health conditions, including the following:

Heart disease and stroke.
High blood pressure.
Diabetes.
Cancer.
Gallbladder disease and gallstones.
Osteoarthritis.
Gout.
Breathing problems, such as sleep apnea (when a person stops breathing for a short time during sleep) and asthma.

Conclusion
Maintaining your ideal body weight is a balancing act between food consumption and calories needed by the body for energy. You are what you eat. The kinds and amounts of food you eat affect your ability to maintain your ideal weight and to lose weight.

"Eat a variety of foods. Balance the food you eat with physical activity-maintain or improve your weight. Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Choose a diet moderate in sugars. Choose a diet moderate in salt and sodium

CHB has produced the following “Action Plan” for the community and very strongly urge each and every one to start implementing the recommendations given herein. All Jamaats are requested to carry out Health Screening Program as a priority, especially for those Jamaats who have not done it in the past 2 years.

“Community’s health – CHB’s priority”

Attached PDF Version of the Newsflash