Kuwait & obesity: what can you see from the city streets?

ABSTRACT

Overweight and obesity have reached epidemic proportions in Kuwait, with the region recording the highest rate of adult obesity. Fast-food consumption is one of the contributors to this medical problem. This visual essay presents street views of the city affected by the obesity epidemic through photographs of fast-food displays. This essay aims to contribute to public health discussions by highlighting the association between exposure to fast-food advertising and increase in consumption of the targeted foods and beverages and subsequent modulation of dietary habits. In addition, this essay seeks to address the question of how public health campaigners and policymakers should regulate fast-food displays, installations, and advertisements in countries with prevalent obesity.

KEYWORDS:

• Kuwait
• city
• fast food
• obesity
• outdoor advertising

Note

I disclose that I intentionally did not consider the aesthetics of visual composition while taking these photographs. I have used quick views from the streets because my intention was to highlight the presence of these fast-food brands in the cities, not advertise them through my photographs. All photographs were taken using a mobile phone camera because DSLR cameras are restricted in public places in Kuwait.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).