Maha El Akoum | Obesity Epidemic & Health Policy in the Arab Gulf
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In this episode of the afikra podcast, we chat with Maha El Akoum, the Manager of Content and Policy at WISH, to try to explore the causes of childhood obesity – especially in the Arab world and particularly in the Gulf – and to understand the complexities of dealing with it. Based in Qatar, Maha discusses the alarming rise in childhood obesity within the Gulf region, but also globally. She explores factors contributing to the epidemic such as lifestyle changes, dietary habits, economic factors, and urban planning. The conversation also covers potential solutions, highlighting successful policies in other nations and outlining the comprehensive approach needed to tackle obesity effectively. Maha emphasizes the societal efforts as well as the policy changes required for meaningful impact.00:00 Understanding the Complexity of Obesity00:18 Introduction to WISH and Its Mission02:38 Childhood Obesity in Qatar and the Region04:07 Factors Contributing to Obesity04:59 Impact of Lifestyle and Economic Development08:07 Global and Regional Contexts of Obesity11:23 Effective Policies and Solutions12:50 Understanding Taxation on Unhealthy Foods13:16 Challenges and Successes of Food Taxation14:33 Public Awareness and Healthy Eating Campaigns15:53 The Societal Impact of Obesity19:23 School-Based Interventions23:22 Trends and Statistics in Childhood Obesity27:20 Global Perspectives and Effective Policies28:56 Comprehensive Policy Interventions39:20 Next Steps and Future Plans41:41 Recommendations and ResourcesMaha El Akoum is the manager of Policy and Content Development at the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH). Her particular research interests include genomics and precision medicine, global health, health policy, healthcare innovation and health systems development. With a strong interest in patient safety, Maha has led several initiatives on a national level, such as the Academy for Emerging Leaders in Patient Safety in collaboration with MedStar Health, as well spearheading several research projects looking into the role of nurses in creating a culture of safety. Maha also managed what was formerly known as the WISH Young Innovators program (from 2015-2019), where she was involved in the shortlisting of the candidates and overall execution of the program.Connect with Maha 👉 https://qa.linkedin.com/in/maha-el-akoum-mph-51228b66)Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb)

Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb)FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/lb/podcast/the-afikra-podcast/id1529437743)» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5nafoF1Zs7F48mGZjlhrze)» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1014643869)THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX&feature=shared)ABOUT AFIKRAafikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters)🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts)⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership)🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_)🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official)🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra)