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Nutrition and Lifestyle in the UAE - Obesity Rates on the Rise and people not as concerned with their Nutrition says study by Dynamisan
[September 21, 2006]

Nutrition and Lifestyle in the UAE - Obesity Rates on the Rise and people not as concerned with their Nutrition says study by Dynamisan


(Al Bawaba Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Lack of exercise and improper diets are some of the factors that lead to unhealthy lifestyles. Western lifestyles with diets that include fast foods that contain very high levels of sugar and fat, combined with sedentary lifestyles supported by car transport rather than walking or biking, sitting in front of the computer or television sets for hours as means of education and entertainment, inadequate activities in schools, all contribute to the non-surprising increase in weight and obesity.



Childhood and Adult Obesity is increasing dramatically in the UAE to a level even higher than that found in other western countries. This leads to an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease.Childhood obesity usually persists into adult life where it is increasingly difficult to treat. This is a result of sedentary lifestyles and the best way to avoid the problem is to prevent obesity at an earlier stage as a child grows up to be a teenager then an adult.

Public health awareness programs and corporate social responsibilities in particular towards community health are needed to combat this increasing prevalence of obesity. Healthy eating and good nutrition is necessary especially when there is an increase in caloric intake because of changing economic and social environments.


As per the Emirates National Diabetes Study (ENCAD) held in UAE, 74% of the random group studied were either obese or overweight, while 25% of UAE nationals are obese says a UAE specialist.

Obesity has reached alarming proportions in the Middle East as over 45 per cent of women in the 15-49 age group are overweight or obese, said a leading international obesity expert. Professor Philip James, chairman of the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and director of the Public Health Policy Group in the UK also warned that while there has been increased emphasis on the care of hypertension and heart disease, obesity is still not being treated effectively.James said that obesity was a far greater threat in the Middle East region, compared to developed countries like the USA or Japan.

Dr. Laila Marzouqi, Cardiologist in Dubai Hospital had the following to tell us: There are over one billion people overweight globally, and that if current trends continue, that number will increase to 1.5 billion by 2015.Overweight and obesity are now dramatically on the rise in low and middle income countries. This is due to a number of factors, including a global shift in diet towards increased energy, fat, salt and sugar intake, and a trend towards decreased physical activity due to the sedentary nature of modern work and transportation, and increasing urbanization. If action is not taken now, an overwhelming chronic disease burden will take place in these countries in the next 10 to 20 years.Dr. Laila added, Overweight and obesity are important risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which is the number one cause of death and accounts for over 17 million deaths every year. Approximately 80% of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, and 40% of cancer could be avoided through healthy diet, regular physical activity and avoidance of tobacco use. High levels of overweight and obesity prevalence exist in U.A.E particularly among women as per studies in 2005.Overweight : Women 77.8%, Men 70.8%Obese: Women 49.8%, Men 29.2% Dietary Guidelines encourage people to choose healthy foods, stay physically active and maintain a healthy weight by balancing calorie intake with calories burned. They provide more detailed information regarding which foods to eat and how much, food groups and their relation to disease prevention, the dietary needs of specific population groups, and activity levels to encourage weight loss.

Healthy daily diets are important but in today's fast-food, fast-moving culture, a nutritional supplement is still necessary. Due to the convenience of processed foods and the cooking or microwaving of most of our foods, 30% to 80% of the food's nutrients are killed. Stress, unbalanced diets, smoking, alcohol, sickness, being vegetarian and other factors nutritional deficiencies are still claimed.

To find out whether people are interested in healthy lifestyles and in nutritional supplements, Dynamisan did a survey of 1500 males and females living in the UAE. Dr. Nihal Hakeem, Manager for Dynamisan at Novartis Consumer Health told us it was found that 45% do not take vitamins but those who do take them comprise 55%, out of which 40% are females and 60 % are males. This indicates that more males are aware and cautious about their health than females. In the UAE, it is more difficult for females to undertake physical activity due to cultural attitude of restricted physical activities.

Dr. Nihal from Novartis continued to mention, Of those who do take vitamins, 44% are in the age range of 26-35 years, 27% age 36-45, 17% within the age group of 18-25, 11% in the age range of 46-55 and only 1% 55 and above. As the figure shows, residents after the age of 36 do not take a nutritional supplement, either because they start paying less attention to their health and lifestyles, or they assume they are having their daily nutrient requirements from balanced and proper meals, which is unlikely.

Dynamisan is a good example of a nutritional supplement that helps maintain a balanced diet to cope with everyday demands of life and ensures an adequate source of essential vitamins, minerals & amino acids and Ginseng, a scientifically recognized natural tonic to provide optimal nutrition and help us get the most out of our daily lives. It can be given starting from the age of 12.

2006 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

Copyright 2006 Al-Bawaba.com, Inc.

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