Seven shocking facts highlighting worrying trends in UAE health.

1. 7 seriously crazy UAE
health statistics
JANUARY 11, 2015FOR YEARS NOW THE UAE HAS BEEN GRABBING WORLD HEADLINES WITH ITS
INCREDIBLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. BUT AS IS TO BE EXPECTED, “DISE ASES OF AFFLUENCE” ARE
NOW OUT OF CONTROL. WE ARE REFERRING MAINLY TO CHRONIC NON -COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
(NCDS) SUCH AS DIABETES, HEART DISEASE, OBESITY, CANCER, AND MORE. JU ST HOW BAD IS THE
SITUATION IN THE UAE? LET ’S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE MORE SHOC KING STATISTICS.

2. 1. UAE children more obese than US
children
It’s no secret that the younger generation of Emiratis and people living in the UAE are plagued
by disease. Yes obesity is a disease, and it opens the door to other diseases such as diabetes,
cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure. The Health Authority Abu Dhabi (Haad) claims
that UAE school children are now 1.8 times more obese than children in the US. The reason
obesity has become so widespread in our young ones is due entirely to a poor diet adopted at a
young age.
Source: The National, May 7, 2013

3. 2. More than 66 percent of men and 60
percent of women in the UAE are overweight
or obese
Of course all age groups are affected by the obesity issue. According to the Global Burden Of
Disease, a study that was conducted in 2013, more than 66% of men and 60% of women in the
UAE are obese or overweight. Which means more instances of diabetes, cancer, and
cardiovascular disease. Obesity in the UAE is the number one cause of “lower disability-adjusted
years,” which is a measure of years lost due to poor health, disability, or early death.
Source: The National, May 29, 2014

4. 3. Heart disease striking 20 years earlier
in the UAE
In 2013, 850 heart-attack patients were admitted to Rashid Hospital in Dubai. A troubling
statistic in itself, the even more sobering news was the average age of the first-time heart attack
patients. Whereas the global average is 65 years, the average age of the Rashid Hospital patients
was 45 years. Additionally, of those 850 patients, “40 percent were diabetic, 40 percent were
hypertensive and 25 percent had high levels of cholesterol.”
Source: The National, January 13, 2014

5. 4. UAE children have cholesterol levels
found in 60-year-old men
Some children in the UAE are being treated for cholesterol levels found in 60-year-old men.
Elevated cholesterol levels mean lower levels of HDL (the good cholesterol) and higher levels of
LDL (the bad cholesterol). Over time this can result in blocked arteries, and as we are now
seeing, children are by no means immune to this. Obese children are at risk for elevated
cholesterol levels, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. While it is not easy given the
misinformation floating around out there, parents need to educate themselves about what
constitutes healthy eating.
Source: The National, December 17, 2014

6. 5. One in five in the UAE diabetic
In 2013 the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that the UAE ranked 16th worldwide in
diabetes prevalence. More than 20% of us living here suffer from diabetes. Diabetes is a very
serious illness, claiming a life every seven seconds on a global scale. Is there better news on the
horizon? Quite the opposite: For the Middle East and North Africa region, diabetes and pre-
diabetes rates are expected to increase dramatically in the coming decades. The only solution to
reversing the trend is proper eating. Get rid of the Western diet. Easier said than done.
Source: Emirate24/7, November 15, 2014

7. 6. NCDs responsible for more than 60%
of all deaths in GCC countries
NCDs include diabetes, heart disease, cancers, chronic respiratory illnesses, and more. According
to WHO director Dr. Ala Alwan, up to 50% of people dying from these diseases in some Gulf
countries die before the age of 60. Heavy tobacco use, poor diet, and lack of exercise are the
usual suspects.
Source: World Health Organization (WHO), January 6, 2012

8. 7. Over 40% of UAE national adults have
high blood pressure
A study published by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) reveals that almost 41% of Emiratis
between the ages of 35 and 70 suffer from hypertension. While in some cases hypertension is
mainly due to genetics, in most cases it can be blamed on lifestyle. “Genes load the gun but
lifestyle pulls the trigger.” If you do not exercise, if you smoke, and if you eat poorly (especially a
high-sugar diet), your risk of having high blood pressure is considerably higher.