
"SAHEM" Program to Combat Obesity in the Kingdom Launched in Riyadh with Broad Participation from Experts and Media Representatives
Rashad iskandrni
Riyadh – June 29, 2025, The capital city Riyadh hosted the launch of the “SAHEM” program, a distinguished national initiative aimed at addressing and controlling obesity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The inaugural meeting was held at the Crowne Plaza Riyadh, with the presence of leading health officials, healthcare practitioners, and media representatives.
The “SAHEM” program aims to spotlight obesity as a chronic disease
that requires an integrated medical approach—moving beyond traditional
perceptions based on individual blame. The program seeks to build a
comprehensive health system that promotes prevention, early diagnosis, and the
provision of effective, evidence-based treatment options, in parallel with
sustainable community awareness efforts.
The meeting witnessed broad participation from journalists across
various media outlets, in addition to several distinguished speakers, including
Professor Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Sheikh, Dr. Saud Al-Safri, and Dr. Ali Al-Shehri.
Dr. Saud Al-Safri, Consultant of Internal Medicine and Head of
Endocrinology and Diabetes Departments at the Armed Forces Hospitals in
Al-Hada, emphasized that the “SAHEM” program serves as a national initiative to
gather insights from healthcare practitioners—particularly primary care and
family physicians—aiming to identify the challenges they face when dealing with
obesity patients and to determine their training needs. This is intended to
support the development of specialized training programs tailored to real-world
practice, based on survey findings.
He added that obesity is a chronic condition that necessitates
multifaceted interventions, including prevention, treatment, and
rehabilitation. Therefore, it is essential to qualify and train healthcare
professionals in the latest diagnostic and therapeutic standards to ensure
unified, evidence-based practices.
During the event, the program’s implementation plan was presented,
encompassing several key pillars. Among them: launching field activities and
public awareness campaigns targeting the general population in schools,
workplaces, and shopping centres in collaboration with public and private
entities; as well as organizing workshops and training sessions for physicians,
nutritionists, and nurses to ensure standardized treatment practices in
accordance with the latest global guidelines. The program also includes the
development of multi-channel educational content to be produced and
disseminated in partnership with media outlets to ensure the widest possible
reach of awareness messages.
Speakers affirmed that the program aligns with the Saudi Vision 2030
goals , as to enhance the quality of
life, promote public health, and reduce the burden of chronic diseases. They
also stressed on the critical role of media as a strategic partner in
correcting misconceptions about obesity and reintroducing it as a health issue
that deserves collective scientific and societal efforts, through the
dissemination of awareness messages in a scientific and humane manner.
The event concluded with a set of recommendations underscoring the
importance of collaboration among regulatory bodies, scientific associations,
healthcare professionals, and media organizations to establish a successful
national model for combating obesity and mitigating its health and economic
impacts.