Obesity management in the Saudi population

Effects of probiotics on selected anthropometrics and biochemical measures in overweight or obese Saudi subjects: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the effects of multi-strain probiotics on anthropometric and biochemical measures in Saudi adults with overweight or obesity.

DESIGN

Single-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial.

SETTING

Occupational Health Clinics at King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

PARTICIPANTS

Ninety-three Saudi participants with overweight or obesity were randomly assigned to receive twice-daily doses of either placebo (n 49) or 30 × 109 CFU/g of HEXBIO® containing three Lactobacillus and three Bifidobacterium species (n 44) in a double-blind manner over a 12-week period, respectively. Both groups adhered to a hypoenergetic diet. Anthropometric measurements, glycaemic indices and lipid profiles were evaluated at baseline and post-intervention.

RESULTS

Following the 12-week intervention, no statistically significant differences were found in all between the probiotic group and placebo group comparisons, except for fat intake, where the group*time interaction showed a significant decrease in favour of the probiotic group (P = 0·02). However, significant within-group reductions were observed in the probiotic group: body weight (-0·9 kg, P = 0·02), HC (-1·5 cm, P = 0·002), energy intake (-387·3 kcal/d, P = 0·002), fasting glucose (-0·7, P = 0·002) and LDL-cholesterol (-0·7, P = 0·02).

CONCLUSION

Consumption of multi-strain probiotic supplementation over 12 weeks significantly decreased fat intake in Saudi adults with overweight or obesity, with the probiotic group highlighting improved anthropometric and biochemical parameters. Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term clinical significance of this dietary practice and whether it has a meaningful impact on overall health beyond the placebo effect.

A systematic review of obesity burden in Saudi Arabia: Prevalence and associated co-morbidities

Introduction

Saudi Arabia has experienced an increasing trend in obesity prevalence in the last three decades; obesity is a significant risk factor for non-communicable diseases, which may cause healthcare and economic burdens. In this systematic review, we aim to explore the obesity prevalence, obesity-related complications (ORCs), and the economic burden of obesity in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

Literature searches for relevant local studies across Saudi Arabia spanning 2012 to 2022 were performed in PubMed and EMBASE, along with supplementary searches for relevant congress abstracts. Only studies that discussed obesity prevalence in Saudi Arabia in relation to any gender or age group, the prevalence of ORCs in Saudi Arabia for any gender or age group, and/or the economic burden of obesity and how it impacts the healthcare system in Saudi Arabia, and were published in the English language, were selected for inclusion. No age or gender restrictions were imposed.

Results

The prevalence of obesity in Saudi Arabia ranged from 20% to 39% and up to 19.4% among adults and adolescents, respectively. The most reported ORCs were hypertension (67.6%), type 2 diabetes (60.7%), and hypercholesterolaemia (51.3%), and an association between obesity and ORCs was established, showing an increased risk with increasing body mass index. The economic burden of obesity across Saudi Arabia was estimated to be 6.4 billion US dollars (USD) for treatment and management.

Conclusion

Obesity affects a substantial proportion of the Saudi general population and is a significant burden on individuals, as demonstrated by the prevalence of ORCs. Multifaceted, short- and long-term approaches involving interventions that operate at multiple levels and target both individuals and communities are urgently needed; there is a particular need for a national strategy and a specific, systems-based policy. Further research will help increase awareness of obesity and its management, which will be crucial for transforming the healthcare system under Vision 2030.

The Burden Cancer-Related Deaths Attributable to High Body Mass Index in a Gulf Cooperation Council: Results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

BACKGROUND

BMI has been reported to be a major risk factor for the increased burden of several diseases. This study explores the burden of cancer linked to high body mass index (BMI) in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and assesses the correlation with Socio-demographic Index (SDI).

METHOD

Using Global burden of disease (GBD) 2019 data, the authors quantified cancer burden through mortality, DALYs, age standardized mortality rate (ASMR), and age standardized DALYs rate (ASDR) across sexes, countries, cancer types, and years. Spearman's correlation tested ASMR against SDI. The authors estimated 95% uncertainty limits (UIs) for population attribution fraction (PAFs).

RESULTS

Between 1990 and 2019, all six GCC countries showed increased number of the overall cancer-related deaths (398.73% in Bahrain to 1404.25% in United Arab Emirates), and DALYs (347.38% in Kuwait, to 1479.35% in United Arab Emirates) reflecting significant increasing in deaths, and burden cancer attributed to high BMI. In 2019, across GCC countries, pancreatic, uterine, and kidney cancer accounted for 87.91% of the total attributable deaths associated with high BMI in females, whereas in male, colon and rectum cancer alone accounted for 26% of all attributable deaths associated with high BMI.

CONCLUSION

The study highlights the significant impact of high BMI on cancer burden in GCC countries. Moreover, the study identifies specific cancers, such as pancreatic, uterine, and kidney cancer in females, and colon and rectum cancer in males, as major contributors to attributable deaths, urging targeted prevention strategies at reducing weight and encouraging physical activity could greatly lessen the impact of diseases in the GCC countries.

Awareness of Bariatric Sleeve Gastrectomy Complications Among the General Population of Saudi Arabian Regions

Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is a type of procedure called bariatric surgery that provides large weight loss and has a positive impact on diseases associated with obesity. However, it has brought several complications that have an impact on those undergoing surgery, which are classified into intraoperative and postoperative issues. The study's goal is to assess the Saudi Arabian population's awareness of SG consequences. This study assessed the general population's knowledge in Saudi Arabia in 2023 using a cross-sectional approach. The total number of participants was 1,013, the majority of whom were individuals between the ages of 18 and 25 (471, 46%), and females (692, 68%). A total of 692 (68%) participants showed awareness of BMI; in addition, 987 (97%) were aware of gastric sleeve surgery, and 538 (53%) understood its indications correctly. Regarding SG complications, approximately 821 (81%) of participants showed awareness. There were significant associations between knowledge of gastric sleeve surgery and residence in the northern region of Saudi Arabia. In conclusion, our study indicated that the general population is aware of the complications of gastric sleeve surgery, but it found a deficiency in their knowledge about BMI.