More obese women than men

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

A recent study conducted by the Health Ministry Nutrition Unit revealed that about 25 per cent of Sri Lankan women and 17 per cent of men are suffering from obesity, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

According to the spokesman, the same study revealed that 67 per cent of Sri Lankan women and 81 per cent of Sri Lankan men are physically inactive and do not get adequate exercises.

The study shows that only 20 per cent of Sri Lankan adults eat the required amount of vegetables. The rest (80 per cent) do not eat the required amount of vegetables.

The study also revealed statistics about alcohol consumption among Sri Lankan men and women. According to the study 25 per cent of Sri Lankan men and 1.2 per cent of Sri Lankan women consume alcohol. Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) too are on the rise in Sri Lanka and daily around 350 persons die from various NCDs such as cancer, kidney diseases, high blood pressure, complications related to diabetes etc, he said.

With rapid urbanization and social change, many Sri Lankans are addicted to wrong and unhealthy food habits and sedentary life styles. They eat a lot of junk food, fast foods and food containing a lot of fat, salt and sugar.