The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region, which includes Tajikistan, has reached epidemic proportions and continues to grow. If the current trend continues, none of the 53 countries in the region will be able to reach the WHO global target by 2025.

According to the World Health Organization, about 1.7 billion people in the world are overweight. On this basis, the issue of obesity prevention as an urgent problem in Tazhdikistan is given great attention. The country has adopted the "Program of Obesity Prevention and Healthy Eating in the Republic of Tajikistan for 2019-2024".

With this in mind, two years ago at the regular meeting of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, the President of the country, the Leader of the Nation, Mr. Emomali Rahmon, instructed to take specific measures to study, prevent and treat obesity within the framework of the "Strategy on Nutrition and Physical Activity in the Republic of Tajikistan for 2015-2024". "The problem requires close attention," he said, "as overweight is the main cause of many diseases, as well as mortality and disability".

Analysis shows that in recent years, low consumption of nutritious foods and high consumption of fast food, fatty foods, sugary soft drinks, sugar and salt have contributed to the development of chronic non-communicable diseases.

According to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Tajikistan, 17% of the population is overweight and 11.3% suffer from obesity. Among children aged 6 to 17, the obesity rate is 4.7%.

Factors of nutritional disorders that contributed to obesity or overweight in adolescents included: violation of the qualitative and quantitative composition of nutrition, violation of drinking regimen, use of carbonated drinks and energy drinks that contain a lot of sugar, use of convenience foods and fast food. Another factor is sedentary lifestyle and spending a long time at the computer and gadgets, which results in sleep disorders, sleep deprivation and leads to violation of biological clock and metabolic processes in general, causing overweight and obesity, as well as poor academic performance in general. It has been noted that more than 50% of students violate the school regime and fall asleep during classes.

Therefore, our young people need to lead a healthy lifestyle, exclude fast foods and energy sources from their diet and consume more fruits and vegetables, greens, observe water regime, as well as to include in the daily regimen walks in the fresh air and sports.

Be healthy!

Yodgorova M.J.- candidate of medical sciences, associate professor

Head of the department of family medicine of SEI "Avicenna Tajik State Medical University"

translated Ismoilov R.