By: Times News Service More than half of the Omani population is now overweight or obese, according to the latest data. Muscat: Efforts to protect children from COVID-19 by keeping them at home have unfortunately led to many of them putting on excess weight during the pandemic period. No school, and a lack of outdoor activity is turning weight gain into a real problem for them, say health specialists in the country. “Just a few days ago, I examined a girl aged seven, who had put on 20 to 25 kg last year,” said Dr Mohammed Saiful Islam, a paediatrician at Burjeel Hospital.