Obesity A Growing Problem In Turkish Society, Experts Say

“A Metabolic Syndrome Association member, Associate Professor Ahmet Temizhan, said Turkey is competing with statistics in the US with the share of overweight nationals in its population, adding that the percentage of obese people in Turkey rises with age. Whereas the percentage of patients with metabolic syndrome shows a considerable rise in Turks over the age of 30, the portion of the population with the syndrome peaks the 60s age bracket. The 6th Metabolic Syndrome Symposium hosted experts in the field and provided a venue for them to discuss little known metabolic syndrome and its impacts on people. Being an illness threatening mainly those who work indoors at desks without having to do much physical activity throughout the day, metabolic syndrome is also increasing the risks of developing diabetic disorders or heart problems. The illness is seeing an upward trend all over the world, including Turkey. Main symptoms of the illness are abdominal obesity, a high triglyceride level and high blood pressure. Experts attending the symposium underlined the fact that as the lifestyles of humankind have significantly changed during the last century with the effects of technological developments, health problems such as metabolic syndrome started to be more visible. Metabolic Syndrome Association head Dr. Aytekin Oğuz drew attention to the fact that metabolic syndrome is an illness of the 21st century. 'We are now observing the results of the changing life conditions. Maybe the environment is now taking revenge because we chose to live an unnatural life,' Oğuz said. Abdominal obesity has adverse effects on several functions of the human body. Among the known impacts are hypertension, diabetic disorder and heart problems. Oğuz further argued that very few people practice sports in their daily lives and that this is one of the main deficiencies of Turkish society which is leading to metabolic syndrome. Temizhan stressed the ignorance of people with regard to diabetic disorders caused by metabolic syndrome and said those who have never heard of diabetic disorders come to their clinics with a more serious diagnosis, including heart attacks. He further argued that housewives, because of their inactive lifestyles, are more inclined to suffer from metabolic syndrome.”

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