Research
Energy balance
High levels of physical inactivity and consumption of sugary beverages are primary drivers of obesity prevalence in Saudi Arabia, with inactive individuals showing significantly lower risk reduction compared to active males.
Focus on reducing sugary beverage intake and increasing physical activity, even in small amounts, as inactivity is a major driver of obesity in this region.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Diet, specifically the move towards Western diet and heavy consumption of sugary beverages, and high levels of inactivity are major contributing factors to obesity.
Why this rating
Based on a systematic review of 59 studies, including large cohort studies.
Source
Prevalence, risk factors, and interventions for obesity in Saudi Arabia: A systematic review
Victoria Salem et al. · Obesity Reviews · 2022
DOI 10.1111/obr.13448
systematic_reviewCited 138×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Intensive lifestyle interventions in Saudi Arabia achieve an average weight loss of 4.1%, which is favorable compared to other published interventions but fails to meet the >5% threshold for significant comorbidity risk reduction.Moderate
- Bariatric surgery in Saudi Arabia achieves an average weight loss of 18% (33.6 kg) at 6 months, with high rates of sleeve gastrectomy and a young patient demographic.Moderate
- GLP-1 analogs are widely used in Saudi Arabia for diabetes management and show some weight loss efficacy, but there is no trial data for their use in obesity-only patients in the country.Limited
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