scholarly journals Overweight and obesity in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: can we control it?

2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 789-793 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. O. Musaiger
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Factors ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
National Programmes ◽  
The Status ◽  
Prevalence Of Obesity ◽  
And Control

Obesity has become an epidemic problem worldwide, and in the Eastern Mediterranean Region the status of overweight has reached an alarming level. A prevalence of 3%-9% overweight and obesity has been recorded among preschool children, while that among schoolchildren was 12%-25%. A marked increase in obesity generally has been noted among adolescents, ranging from 15% to 45%. In adulthood, women showed a higher prevalence of obesity [35%-75%] than men [30%-60%]. Several factors, such as change in dietary habits, socioeconomic factors, inactivity and multiparity [among women] determine obesity in this Region. There is an urgent need for national programmes to prevent and control obesity in the countries of the Region

scholarly journals A Collaborative Initiative to Strengthen Sustainable Public Health Capacity for Polio Eradication and Routine Immunization Activities in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

10.2196/14664 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. e14664
Author(s):  
Magid Al Gunaid ◽  
Faris Lami ◽  
Najwa Jarour
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Polio Eradication ◽  
Routine Immunization ◽  
Vaccine Preventable Diseases ◽  
Global Polio Eradication Initiative ◽  
Eradicate Polio ◽  
And Control

The many challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean region put the involved countries at risk of polio transmission and affect their ability to meet progress targets in eliminating vaccine-preventable diseases. The Global Health Development (GHD) and Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET) are working together on the project “Strengthening sustainable public health capacity in the Eastern Mediterranean region for polio eradication and routine immunization activities” with an overall goal of improving routine immunization, eradicating poliovirus, and controlling/eliminating or eradicating other vaccine-preventable diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The aim of this manuscript is to describe the project and the achievements of GHD/EMPHNET over the last 3 years (2016-2018) to build effective surveillance and immunization systems in the Eastern Mediterranean region through the development of a sustainable and competent public health system to eradicate polio and control/eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases. This project assists the targeted Eastern Mediterranean region countries to build effective surveillance and immunization systems in an effort to expand their capacities to eradicate polio and control/eliminate other vaccine-preventable diseases. The project is streamlined with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Strategic Framework for Global Immunization 2016-2020, and the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan 2013-2018. The project also supports the Global Health Security Agenda by focusing on efforts to accelerate progress toward a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats. Project activities were designed to respond to countries’ needs and assist them in building their institutional and workforce capacity to effectively plan, implement, and evaluate activities to eradicate polio and strengthen routine immunization activities. The project activities covered a set of areas including surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis and other vaccine-preventable diseases, family and community engagement, workforce capacity building, improvement of data quality, management and use of information systems, use of polio assets to control/eliminate other vaccine-preventable diseases, support of countries to develop national strategies, piloting of innovative initiatives, program evaluation and accountability, and immunization strengthening. The project adopts the Global Polio Eradication Initiative strategies for assisting countries to strengthen routine immunization services, maintain highly sensitive acute flaccid paralysis surveillance, and sustain polio eradication functions.

scholarly journals Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance and Control in the Mediterranean Region: report of the ARMed Consensus Conference

2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (09) ◽  
pp. 654-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. Borg ◽  
Barry D. Cookson ◽  
Peter Zarb ◽  
Elizabeth A. Scicluna ◽  
ARMed Steering Group & Collaborators *
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Consensus Conference ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
And Control

Antimicrobial resistance has become a global threat to effective health care delivery. This is particularly the case within the Mediterranean region, where data from recent studies suggests the situation to be particularly acute. A better knowledge base, as well as a collaborative effort, is therefore required to address this ever increasing challenge to effective patient care. Over its four-year period, the Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance and Control in the Mediterranean Region (ARMed) project investigated the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance, as well as its contributory factors, in a number of countries in the southern and eastern Mediterranean region through the collection of comparable and validated data. The project culminated in a consensus conference held in Malta in November 2006. The conference provided a forum for expert delegates to agree on a number of priority strategic recommendations that would be relevant to resistance containment efforts in the region. There was general agreement on the need for surveillance and audit to underpin any intervention to tackle antimicrobial resistance, both to monitor changing epidemiological trends in critical pathogens as well as to identify antibiotic consumption practices and effectiveness of prevention and control of health care associated infections. In addition, the importance to convey these data to key users was also stressed in all workshops, as was better education and training of health care workers. The recommendations also made it clear that ownership of the problem needs to be improved throughout the region and that resources, both financial as well as human, must be allocated by the respective policy makers in order to combat it.

scholarly journals Implementation of WHO Recommended Policies and Interventions on Healthy Diet in the Countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region: From Policy to Action

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3700
Author(s):  
Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh ◽  
Asmus Hammerich ◽  
Radhouene Doggui ◽  
Kaia Engesveen ◽  
Krista Lang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Absolute Number ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Healthy Diet ◽  
Salt Reduction ◽  
Nutrition And Diet ◽  
Concrete Action

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are responsible for almost two-thirds of the deaths in the 22 countries and territories of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region and unhealthy diets are a major contributor. Prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased among adults, adolescents and older children in recent decades. Among countries with the highest prevalence there are signs that the increase is slowing down or even that prevalence is declining. There has been no increase in the prevalence rate in younger children, although the absolute number of children under five years affected by overweight has increased. This review summarizes prevalence data and examines current implementation of regulatory, fiscal and voluntary measures to promote healthy diet across the Region. The last decade has seen a step up in such action. Ten of the Region’s countries have policies relating to trans-fatty acids and they are increasingly implementing specific regulatory measures. Thirteen countries had fully or partially implemented national salt reduction policies by 2019. Only four countries had adopted policies relating to aspects of marketing food to children by 2019, and concrete action in this area is still lacking. Eight countries have introduced taxes—sometimes at a rate of 50%—on carbonated or sugar-sweetened beverages. In order to meet the agreed global and regional goals relating to nutrition and diet-related NCDs, countries will need to build on this progress and scale up action across the Region while intensifying efforts in areas where concrete action is lacking.

scholarly journals Overweight and Obesity in Eastern Mediterranean Region: Prevalence and Possible Causes

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulrahman O. Musaiger
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Nutrition Transition ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Cultural Elements ◽  
Sugary Beverages ◽  
Duration Of Breastfeeding ◽  
Skipping Breakfast

The objective of this paper was to explore the prevalence of overweight and obesity among various age groups as well as discuss the possible factors that associated with obesity in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). A systematic review of published papers between 1990 and 2011 was carried out. Obesity reached an alarming level in all age groups of the EMR countries. The prevalence of overweight among preschool children(<5 years) ranged from 1.9% to 21.9%, while the prevalence of overweight and obesity among school children ranged from 7% to 45%. Among adults the prevalence of overweight and obesity ranged from 25% to 81.9%. Possible factors determining obesity in this region include: nutrition transition, inactivity, urbanization, marital status, a shorter duration of breastfeeding, frequent snacking, skipping breakfast, a high intake of sugary beverages, an increase in the incidence of eating outside the home, long periods of time spent viewing television, massive marketing promotion of high fat foods, stunting, perceived body image, cultural elements and food subsidize policy. A national plan of action to overcome obesity is urgently needed to reduce the economic and health burden of obesity in this region.

scholarly journals Antimalarial drug resistance in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

2003 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 492-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. Abdel Hameed
Keyword(s):  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Antimalarial Drug ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
World Health ◽  
Antimalarial Drug Resistance ◽  
Control Programmes ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
And Control

Studies done between 1997 and 2003 are reviewed to give an overall picture of antimalarial drug resistance in the Eastern Mediterranean Region of the World Health Organization [WHO]. The situation in 8 countries where resistance has been reported is detailed. It has been difficult to abandon chloroquine as first-line treatment even though resistance to it is widespread. Resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine has also been detected. The spread of resistance could be slowed down by the adoption of effective national policies and control programmes. Coordination between counties and with other WHO regions, as opposed to working in isolation, could further reduce the spread of resistance.

scholarly journals Cancer prevention and control in Eastern Mediterranean region

BMJ ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 333 (7573) ◽  
pp. 860.2-861 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salman Rawaf ◽  
Elizabeth Dubois ◽  
Oussama M N Khatib ◽  
Sherif Omar
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Prevention ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Cancer Prevention And Control ◽  
And Control

scholarly journals HIV/AIDS surveillance in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Purushottam N. Shrestha
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Antenatal Clinic ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Hiv Surveillance ◽  
Anonymous Testing ◽  
Unlinked Anonymous Testing ◽  
And Control

Reporting of AIDS cases began right from the inception of national AIDS programmes in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. HIV surveillance was initiated with ad hoc serological surveys of selected groups of population. However, these surveys suffered from statistical bias. To minimize this bias, sentinel surveillance was introduced in two groups:patients with sexually transmitted diseases and antenatal clinic attendants. Apart from surveillance, many other population groups are being tested for HIV, mainly for case-finding. As HIV surveillance has an important role in AIDS prevention and control, adequate attention should be paid to its improvement, including the use of unlinked anonymous testing and the participation of the private sector

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