New study to combat obesity in Egypt

Researchers from the University of Southampton and NIHR Southampton Centre for Biomedical Research are to take part in a new study that aims to reduce obesity rates in Egypt.

Over recent decades, obesity rates in Egypt have increased where now more than 75 per cent of adults and a third of children are overweight or obese. Furthermore, the prevalence of obesity in Egypt has now surpassed the average for both Europe and the Middle East and North African region.

The study, which involves Professor Philip Calder and Dr Paul Afolabi from the University of Southampton, is being led by The University of Alexandria, Egypt, and is funded with a grant, worth £183,000, from the Newton Fund Institutional Links Programme.

Professor Calder and Dr Afolabi will assist in investigating the metabolic profiles of the Egyptian population with the aim of developing new and accessible treatment strategies that will help drive down obesity rates.

The collaboration was established at a recent British Council meeting in South Africa where Dr Afolabi made contact with the Egyptian research team.

He said: “Obesity is rising everywhere as people adopt more sedentary lifestyles. This new collaboration will hopefully find new ways to combat the prevalence of obesity in Egypt.”