Obesity
According to Singapore’s Ministry of Health, 6.9% of the national population between 18 to 69 years were suffering from obesity in 2004. Obesity has become an important health issue in Singapore. In addition, obesity has become a daunting problem worldwide, and is recognised as the single greatest contributor to preventable deaths in the world.
Contributing factors
- Foods rich in fat and sugar
- Lack of exercise
- Genetic predisposition
Risk factors
Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, particularly heart disease, some types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.
Management/prevention
While the primary method of fighting obesity include adopting a healthy diet and engaging in physical exercise, anti-obesity medication may also be introduced as a supplement for instances when lifestyle changes fail to address the problem.