The Health Ministry said on Thursday that its annual campaign to spread awareness on chronic conditions began as part of its sustainable development program to combat disease and illness. Speaking to the press, Director of Health Performance Department at the Ministry Dr. Abeer Al-Baho revealed that chronic conditions were on the rise, pointing out that bad habits such as smoking was on the increase with 42.6 percent of males and 2.9 percent for females. Physical inactivity was up to 39 percent and obesity up 34.7 percent amongst adults over 19 years old, she added. On obesity in particular, she added that extreme obesity was prevalent among teenagers and adults around the world due to bad eating habits, lack of exercise, and other causes, saying that obesity might strike children in families in a percentage of around 25 to 30. The solution, Dr. Al-Baho said, would be through seeking better habits and professional medical help in chronic cases, stressing that the main cause of chronic diseases could be a void with smart choices and better health management. Source: Kuwait News Agency