The 23rd edition of the annual World Congress of International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders, IFSO 2018, opened today at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The annual international event is taking place for the first time in the Middle East region, hosted by Gulf Obesity Surgery Society and is attended by more than 2,500 delegates from around the globe.

For the past 22 years, surgeons and other health care professionals gather to explore leading-edge clinical and technical innovations related to the advanced management and treatment of severe obesity.

According to the World Health Organisation, WHO, in 2018, Middle Eastern countries have ranked highest in the obesity statistics among adults aged 18 and above. Arabian Gulf countries have the highest percentage of bariatric procedures - a variety of procedures used to treat obesity - performed which include sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass and the placement of gastric band. To put this into a global perspective, the MENA region registered the highest rate of obesity worldwide, with 58 percent of men and 65 percent of women classified as either overweight or obese.

These statistics indicate that the region has high risk factors for obesity mainly due to unhealthy dietary habits and lack of physical activity. Attributing risk factors for obese patients are mainly hypothyroidism, diabetes and high blood pressure.