Manama: Nutrition experts in Kuwait have called for a thorough review of eating habits after a study showed that 70 per cent of all Kuwaiti men and 75 per cent of Kuwaiti women were overweight.

Dr Suad Al Houti, a researcher at the department of nutrition and food at the health ministry said: "There is a need to examine the eating habits and to look into the causes of widespread diseases and illnesses, namely diabetes, obesity, cardiac troubles and high blood pressure.Such knowledge is vital to change the wrong eating habits."

The study, conducted by the department of food resources at Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) in coordination with the health ministry, was designed to examine Kuwaitis' eating habits and their relationship with some widespread diseases, Kuwait News Agency (Kuna) reported.

The study examined 1,693 families from the country's six governorates, including a total of 7,547 Kuwaitis aged between five and 50.

The research found the proportion of overweight males of all ages was 35 per cent, and 28 per cent for females of all ages. However, the proportion of overweight adults was as high as 70 per cent among men and 75 per cent among women.

"Those suffering from diabetes amounted to 15 per cent. Its spread among the females was slightly higher than among the males. However, its proportion among those aged 50 stood at 50 per cent," the study said.

More than 22 per cent of the males and 27 per cent of the females suffered from low metabolism and 30 per cent suffer from high cholesterol which reached 60 per cent among the females aged 50 and above, the study revealed.