Yasmin Altwaijri facts for kids

Yasmin Altwaijri (Arabic: ياسمين أحمد المبارك التويجري) is a top scientist from Saudi Arabia. She works at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH&RC) in Riyadh.

Her job is to lead research in epidemiology. This means she studies how diseases and health problems affect people in Saudi Arabia. She looks at why certain illnesses happen and how they spread.

Dr. Altwaijri focuses on common health issues like obesity (being very overweight) and mental illness (problems with how people think and feel). She also works to encourage changes in society and government to help people live healthier lives.

Education and Learning

Yasmin Altwaijri studied Community Health at King Saud University in Riyadh. She earned her first degree there in 1992.

After getting married, she and her husband moved to the United States. She went to Tufts University and studied with Johanna Dwyer, a well-known expert in nutrition. Dr. Altwaijri received her master's degree in 1996 and her Ph.D. in 2002 from Tufts University. Her parents always encouraged her to have a career and be able to support herself.

Her Work as a Scientist

After finishing her studies in the U.S., Dr. Altwaijri returned to Saudi Arabia in 2002. She first worked at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences.

Later, she joined the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh. There, she leads the epidemiology research center. She is known as one of the country's most important senior scientists.

Dr. Altwaijri helps design and carry out studies on the health of people in Saudi Arabia. She pays special attention to women, children, and teenagers.

Understanding Children's Growth

One important area she studies is how Saudi children grow. Doctors in Saudi Arabia used to rely on growth charts based on children in the United States.

Dr. Altwaijri is creating new studies to understand how Saudi children grow. These studies consider things like family income, diet, and where they live in Saudi Arabia.

Fighting Health Risks

She also researches things that can make people sick, like obesity, smoking, hypertension (high blood pressure), high blood cholesterol, and not getting enough exercise. These factors can lead to long-term diseases.

Dr. Altwaijri believes that a person's health is affected by their daily life and surroundings. She strongly supports social and political changes that help people live healthier.

She is especially concerned about women, who are more likely to become obese than men in Saudi Arabia. This is partly because social customs can make it harder for women to exercise or play sports.

Dr. Altwaijri suggests several ways to help:

• Adding physical education for both girls and boys in schools.
• Creating safe play areas in neighborhoods for all children.
• Making safe places for adult men and women to be active.
• Providing affordable health clubs for everyone.
• Controlling food prices to encourage people to choose healthy foods.

To keep her own children active, she enrolled them in competitive swimming. They even qualified to attend the AAU Junior Olympic Games.

Mental Health in Saudi Arabia

Dr. Altwaijri is also a main leader for the Saudi National Mental Health Survey. This big study looks at how mental illness affects communities in Saudi Arabia.

Before this study, not much research had been done on mental health in Saudi Arabia. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) says that five of the ten most serious diseases in the world involve mental health.

This research involves working with international partners like Harvard University, the University of Michigan, and the World Health Organization. The study started in 2009. Its goal was to visit 5,000 homes across the country to interview men and women. A high number, 86% of people asked, agreed to take part.

Obesity in Saudi Arabia

Obesity, especially in children, is increasing worldwide. This trend is common in developed countries but also in developing ones, including the Middle East.

In Saudi Arabia, one out of every six children is obese. This can lead to less exercise, trouble focusing in school, and less playing with other children. Among adults, about 42.4% of men and 31.8% of women are obese.

This rise in obesity puts a big strain on the healthcare system in Saudi Arabia. Obesity is a risk factor for more serious diseases, like heart problems. This increase in obesity is linked to Saudi Arabia's growing economy. A stronger economy has led to more "Westernized" diets, which often have more unhealthy foods.

Women in Science

Dr. Altwaijri leads the Saudi Women in Science Committee. This group connects female scientists across Saudi Arabia.

She encourages Saudi women to work in science and technology fields. She believes women scientists can use online communication to work together and do important research. This allows them to achieve great things while respecting their society's customs.

She also points out that certain rules, like the ban on women driving (which has since been lifted), made it hard for women to get to work or go to a fitness center.

Yasmin Altwaijri is one of 35 women featured in the book Arab Women Rising. This book highlights women from different Arab countries. She was also included in the BBC's 2014 list of 100 Women from around the world.

See also

In Spanish: Yasmin Altwaijri para niños