There is no awareness of health issues in Kuwait," said public health nutritionist, Jumana Al Othman. One in every four Kuwaitis has diabetes. The obesity rate in Kuwait is one of the highest in the World, trailing only behind the US. One of the most favored past times here is to head to restaurants and cafes to eat, and creative indulgence is revered.

According to Jumana, unhealthy eating habits are ingrained from a young age and continued into adulthood, putting the upcoming generations at serious risk of developing a multitude of diseases, "When I was in school we would eat candy and chips all the time. It wasn't controlled or regulated at all." She further added, "And things haven't gotten any better; my nieces and nephews come home from school everyday exhausted as their sugar levels come soaring down after their short-lived, candy induced sugar hig
hs during the day.

They're allowed to eat whatever they want." Malnutrition is a major killer worldwide, and despite food being plentiful in Kuwait, people still become afflicted with life threatening problems as a result of their diet. "We make the conscious choice to consume foods that fail to nourish our bodies," said 25-year old medical student, Aya.

We eat for fun instead of necessity, and we pay the consequences. It seems so ironic that those who cannot eat die, and those with food available decide to poison themselves," she added. The availability of food isn't an indicator of a healthful nation, as it can still be lacking in adequate nutrition, as Josette Sheeran, the World Food Program's executive director, said in a UN news report last week. "Good, nutritious food is the very foundation of healthy children and nations," she emphasized.

According to Jumana, bad habits start at home, "Many kids aren't used to eating vegetables and fruits. It's so foreign to them." Jumana coordinates various activities at Breakfast and Brunch, a small cafe here in Kuwait. Her advice to parents is to make food fun and interesting, so that eating well becomes a habit instead of a chore, "We hold kids' cooking classes, so they learn about what they're eating. Kids react to stuff that's fun or pretty, so we let them shape vegetables and fruits, which they're th
en much more willing to eat.

It really is so simple but it needs patience." She added, "Jamie Oliver's campaign across the UK to improve the food served at schools made such a difference, it was such an inspiration. Kuwait could benefit from attempting similar changes so that the cycle can be stopped now." It seems that parents aren't the only ones who react to fun opportunities, as Jumana noted that her 'healthy lunchbox' workshop has received much attention from parents wanting to encourage their kids to eat healthier foods, "The r
esponse is great, it seems people are interested and want to learn more when given the opportunity.

But it has to continue at home: parents can't expect their kids to eat well at home or at school if they're setting a bad example by eating fattening foods on a daily basis." Aya, who decided to study medicine after seeing the prevalence of avoidable diseases soar in Kuwait, added, "The concentration needs to be awareness and prevention. It's much easier to prevent than cure but, as it stands, people still wait until they're unwell to rethink what they're doing.