Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death and burden of disease in Turkey. Studies show that the prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing in our country as well as in the world, and that obesity is especially affecting our children and young people.
According to 2016 data from the World Health Organization, there are 650 million individuals with obesity in the world, and Turkey is the highest country in Europe with an obesity prevalence of 32% in the adult population over the age of 18. In parallel with this, the prevalence of diabetes in Turkey has doubled in the last 10 years, reaching 13.7%. According to the IDF 8th Diabetes Atlas, the number of people with diabetes in Turkey is expected to reach 11.2 million in 2045, up from 7.5 million today. Obesity is a health problem accompanied by many chronic diseases, and according to social research, 44% of patients with obesity have type 2 diabetes.
With the current trend, it will only be possible to achieve success in the fight against obesity as a result of joint, coordinated and determined efforts of all stakeholders related to this issue. With the awareness of the responsibility of non-governmental organizations within the scope of national health policies in this struggle, the Obesity Center of Excellence was opened within the Endocrinology Clinic of Ankara Bilkent City Hospital with the support of the Association for Promoting Healthy Life and Health Policies.
One of the most effective ways of combating obesity in Turkey is the family medicine system. Each of 80 million citizens is registered with a family physician. Reducing the prevalence of obesity within the scope of preventive medicine is within the areas of responsibility of family physicians. Therefore, within the scope of this project, raising the awareness of family physicians about the importance of the fight against obesity and its place in the prevention of concomitant diseases is important in terms of their direct and effective touch on the society.
The project, which started in early 2018, was strategically prepared in parallel with the Turkish Ministry of Health's Turkey Healthy Nutrition and Active Life Program and is still being carried out.