However he encouraged those with the extra weight to have a positive "self-perception" to enable them to still continue enjoying life.
Soriano said, "There are cases when no matter how they diet, they don't get thin because the structure of their body is big. I don't know what to say anymore to women in this situation and they want to be thin."
A survey conducted by the Philippine National Nutrition Health Evaluation showed that since 2003, the number of obese Filipinos climbed from 3.2 percent to 4.9 percent of the total population. Overweight Filipinos jumped from 16.9 percent of the population to 19.6 percent from 1998 to 2003.
Dr. Antonio Sison, echoes Soriano's sentiments "Anybody can be happy regardless of weight but for obese people, the probability of being happy is less, in the social context and also in their personal sphere."
Sison adds that society is also to blame for the miseries of obese people. He cited some airlines' policy of charging an extra seat for an obese person who does not fit in one and clothe sizes.
Sanirose Orbeta, vice president of the Philippine Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity said that young individuals were now becoming more conscious of their weight.
She said, "Elementary schoolchildren are now very conscious that by the time they reach high school, they become depressed that they are fat."
Researchers also said the extra pounds on children can be traced to changing lifestyles, citing the lack of outdoor activities and a rapidly increasing sedentary lifestyle most are adopting.
"There is a link between depression and obesity. And suicide is a risk factor to be considered," Sison said. However what is adding insult to injury is depression could also lead to overeating which would further increase weight.
