Dear Editors,
My response to the above question posed by the Editorial of the July issue of MJCMP is –NO! Obesity is not a public health problem in Myanmar. Of course, it is a health problem to some individuals and perhaps to some relatively few, defined population groups, but a public health problem (which, I think, is the intended and appropriate question) it is not. When considering nutritional matters we are more concerned with the under-fives and adolescents. According to the figures quoted in the Editorial only 1% of children under-five in Myanmar are overweight and obesity is not currently a problem. The quoted obesity rate of 2.3% in boys and 5.2 % in girls are not alarming but are said to have doubled within two decades. The World Obesity Federation is quoted as saying in 2015 that Myanmar adults had the fastest rate of adult obesity! Incredible, if true! But, fastest among whom and compared with whom? Fastest in the world or fastest among developing countries or both developed and developing? MJCMP should critically examine the sources before quoting this.Like several other national problems Myanmar bears a double burden – communicable & non-communicable diseases; and now a trend towards under-nutrition & overweight, which the Editorial conjectures maybe a Sydemic, and likens to a ‘Sleeping Snake’ that will waken and strike. The MJCMP is boldly expressing its view-point for the good of the country but needs to look into how strong is the weight of evidence. The health authorities, with so many ticking time-bombs, need, well considered, balanced opinions from reputable forums such as MJCMP.
Professor Aung Than Batu.
MBBS, FRCP (Edin)
Emeritus Medical Researcher
