From correspondents in Emirates, United Arab Emirates, 11:30 AM IST

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched a campaign called 'The Fat Truth' to fight child obesity, WAM news agency reported Tuesday.

The campaign, which started Monday and will go on till July 20, was announced Monday by UAE Minister of Health Humaid Al Qatami at a press conference here. The campaign will be run in cooperation with the UN Children's Fund (Unicef).

The minister said that around 10 percent of children and adolescents in the world suffer from obesity and around 12 percent of children in the UAE were overweight.

Qatami attributed this problem to lack of exercise, and increasing consumption of fatty and sugary food. He also warned that child obesity can cause high blood pressure, diabetes, heart diseases and cancer in addition to psychological problems.

'The Fat Truth' campaign aims at raising awareness about the issue of childhood obesity through a number of activities.

The UAE ranks 10th in the world among countries with the most overweight people as 70 percent of its citizens are overweight.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)