Kuwait is ranked highest in obesity in the entire world. Infamously, we won the title of "the restaurant capital of the world" by the Western media. Our Gulf countries have reached frightening levels of diabetes and blood pressure disasters, not to mention cholesterol problems are off the charts as well.

These awful findings are supported by data derived from government sources of these countries via hospital archives and statistics. Even with the efforts of major health organizations to spread mass awareness of the tragedy the people's warm "hospitality" has caused, these numbers are insanely rising, summoning a horrific epidemic that will arrive sooner than we think. How did all this happen? Can we do anything significant to stop it?

Pre-oil GCC states used to suffer mass starvations that made them receive generous donations of food and potable water from Iraq and Somalia. During these times, the meaning of "thabiha", the slaughtering of cattle or camels, used to have incredible social weight. It meant that the tribal sheikh was sacrificing the tribe's "vehicle" or their daily milk source for the satiation of the visitors of their tent to gain crucial PR points, just in case any need for tribal alliances arises. Also, it was to shame any potentially aggressive tribe to ever think of advancing on what was left of their food supplies.

However, in post-oil GCC states, the tradition of serving the largest amount of food has become an empty burden on both guests and hosts. The abundance of food delivered by a tap on our smartphones without even a swipe of our K-Net cards has eliminated even the slightest possibility of losing weight by cooking our own supper. How can we change this? Simple intimidation techniques are not very beneficial. Lectures on the financial and psychological damage to one's overall being will not cut it. Even the increase in gasoline prices did not dent a nanometer into our "deadly" romance with intercontinental cuisines.

A standard course should be taught at all government and private sector educational institutions solely for the purpose of learning the science of nutrition, and it should be made mandatory at all workplaces. Though it might sound very optimistic, I personally suggest making it against every GCC state's law for a host to serve a guest what it is knowingly critically damaging to his health. No more a kilo of Turkish baklava thrust in front of a diabetic child or adult. No more meat for cholesterol victims, or salty snacks for blood pressure fighters, and to top it all, say no to MSG and aspartame. Only then Kuwait will have a "swag" waist size!

By Jeri Al-Jeri

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