By SPA,
Taif, Saudi Arabia : The First International Conference on ‘Obesity and Diabetes’, organized by Armed Forces Hospitals Programs in Hada started its works today in the presence of Commander of Taif Region Major General Abdulbari Ahmed Al-Hifzi.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Saud Nafa’ Assafri, Chairman of the Conference Scientific committee explained that the convening of this conference comes at a time when incidence of diabetes and obesity doubled in the last thirty years, reaching 24 per cent in the Middle East, particularly the Arab Gulf States.
He pointed, according to WHO estimates, the number of diabetes sufferers in the world in 2007 amounted to 246 million people; it is expected to reach 380 million people in 2025.
“Some believed that diabetes is a modern disease, but this assumption is wrong. In fact, Diabetes is discovered and is known for more than 4,000 years. The ancient Egyptians diagnosed it in 2000 BC. The Ancient Indian, Chinese and Greek civilization had encountered this disease. However, the Muslim Scientists had contributed substantially to the diagnosis and treatment of Diabetics at the beginning of the 1000 AD, he added.
On his part, Brigadier Dr. Saeed Mohammed Al-Asmari, Director of the Administration of the Armed Forces Hospitals in Taif Region said this silent disease ravaged the Gulf region, where more frightening statistics estimated that a quarter of the region’s population is suffering from diabetes, and that it may engulf in the coming years almost one third of the population.
Al-Asmari stressed that this conference seeks to publicize ways of diabetes prevention in addition to the treatment of its complications.