Obesity a timed bomb that is drawing many to cancer, stroke and heart attack.

Panelist to the Medical Symposium held at Laico Regency, Nairobi on Saturday. The event organized by Mku deliberated on cutting edge management of lifestyle diseases.

Shocking revelations shows that out of the nearly 1 billion people who are over weight globally, nearly 700 million suffer from obesity. Experts attending a medical symposium organized by MKU in Nairobi, Kenya on Saturday, said obesity was a trickling time bomb that ought to be urgently detonated before wiping mankind. 

Speaking during the symposium that brought together medical practitioners from India, Uganda and Kenya to discuss the cutting edge management of lifestyle diseases-obesity, Dr. Roslyne Ngugi, Head of Department, International Medicine, MKU said that globally, 1.9 billion people were overweight.

She said out of this, 650 million were suffering from obesity. Dr. Ngugi who is also the secretary of the Kenya Physicians Association and Secretary of the Kenya Diabetes Study Group said drastic and concerted efforts by all stake holders need to be undertaken to contain the global pandemic (obesity). 

"Obesity is clearly a big problem. What obesity is doing to predispose one to other diseases like, cancer, stroke and heart attack," she said. The MKU Lecturer said that instead of waiting for obesity patient to go to hospital when the doctor can do very little if any to help the patient, the symposium was out to create awareness on the lifestyle diseases and how to manage them. 

She said the priority member one is to sensitize people on screening at least once annually. Secondly focus on diet by encouraging healthy diet (foods). Thirdly people must exercise.  She said the American Diabetic Association Advocate for 30 minutes of exercise  5 days a week. 

"But what we are saying since android and technology is here, we should use these technology for the better good of your health. What we are saying is you exercise even if it is for 10 minutes per day. This will reduce obesity," said Dr. Ngugi.

She said currently child obesity in the country stood at 21% up from 4 % only 5 years ago. She said Kenyans should ask themselves what they are doing wrong they are not educating their children. She said MKU has taken the initiative to educate/sensitize the general public on lifestyle diseases. We want to educate the mwananchi, student and teachers sending the message of adopt a health diet and excercise. 

She told those with obesity chalenge to go to hospital so that they can be guided on how to reverse their conditions. MKU Co-Fqounder Jane Nyutu who is also a member of the board of directors of the varsity, said MKU was committed in supplementing the Jubilee Administration in realization of the National Universal Health Care Provision. "We need to have a health and productive population," she said. 

Among those in attendance were MKU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Stanley Waudo, Dr. Jane Wanjiku Kamau (KU), Dr. Ronald Mbiine (Makerere University), Dr. Josephat Njuguna, Principal College of Health Sciences, MKU and Prof. Jaydeep Palep, Programme Director, Department of Bariatric and Minimal Access Surgery, Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital, India.