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CardioPulse Articles
The changing health of the Middle East population through oil and automobiles
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Jennifer Taylor talks to Abdulrahman O. Musaiger, BSc, DrPh (Doctor of Public Health), Director of Arab Center for Nutrition, Bahrain, Assistant Secretary General for Scientific Studies, Bahrain Center for Studies and Research, Professor of Nutrition and Public Health, Arabian Gulf University, Head of Arab Task Force for Obesity and Physical Activity, Bahrain
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is becoming a major problem in the majority of the Arabian Middle East countries. In Iraq, Jordan, and Syria—for example, CHD is the leading cause of death in 18–40% of all deaths.
What are the causes? Diabetes and low levels of physical activity are the main culprits, along with obesity, diet, hypertension, and smoking.
Arab countries can be divided into three categories—low, intermediate, and high income—and while diabetes, heart disease, and so on is higher in the intermediate and high income countries, its starting to become a problem in low-income countries.
Statistics from the