Maha El Akoum | Obesity Epidemic & Health Policy in the Arab Gulf

In this episode of the afikra podcast, we chat with Maha El Akoum, the Manager of Content and Policy at WISH, to try to explore the causes of childhood obesity – especially in the Arab world and particularly in the Gulf – and to understand the complexities of dealing with it. Based in Qatar, Maha discusses the alarming rise in childhood obesity within the Gulf region, but also globally. She explores factors contributing to the epidemic such as lifestyle changes, dietary habits, economic factors, and urban planning. The conversation also covers potential solutions, highlighting successful policies in other nations and outlining the comprehensive approach needed to tackle obesity effectively. Maha emphasizes the societal efforts as well as the policy changes required for meaningful impact.

00:00 Understanding the Complexity of Obesity
00:18 Introduction to WISH and Its Mission
02:38 Childhood Obesity in Qatar and the Region
04:07 Factors Contributing to Obesity
04:59 Impact of Lifestyle and Economic Development
08:07 Global and Regional Contexts of Obesity
11:23 Effective Policies and Solutions
12:50 Understanding Taxation on Unhealthy Foods
13:16 Challenges and Successes of Food Taxation
14:33 Public Awareness and Healthy Eating Campaigns
15:53 The Societal Impact of Obesity
19:23 School-Based Interventions
23:22 Trends and Statistics in Childhood Obesity
27:20 Global Perspectives and Effective Policies
28:56 Comprehensive Policy Interventions
39:20 Next Steps and Future Plans
41:41 Recommendations and Resources

Maha El Akoum is the manager of Policy and Content Development at the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH). Her particular research interests include genomics and precision medicine, global health, health policy, healthcare innovation and health systems development. With a strong interest in patient safety, Maha has led several initiatives on a national level, such as the Academy for Emerging Leaders in Patient Safety in collaboration with MedStar Health, as well spearheading several research projects looking into the role of nurses in creating a culture of safety. Maha also managed what was formerly known as the WISH Young Innovators program (from 2015-2019), where she was involved in the shortlisting of the candidates and overall execution of the program.

Connect with Maha 👉 https://qa.linkedin.com/in/maha-el-akoum-mph-51228b66

Hosted by: 
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

Hosted by: 
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

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ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
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