MoH to rope in fast food chains to fight obesity
Reported February 13, 2008
DUBAI – Urging fast-food chains to serve smaller portions and with more green salads is among the Ministry of Healths strategies to tackle the rising incidence of obesity in the UAE, said a senior health official on February 13.
Dr Huda Al Suwaidi, Family Medicine Consultant for the MoH, who is also heading the ministrys committee that is chalking out strategies to combat obesity, said, We are also continuing talks with fast-food manufacturing companies and selling outlets and suggesting to them to provide dietary information to the consumers.
The MoH had initiated talks with fast food outlets last year regarding serving healthy food.
People have to initially learn about calories, and only then they will realise the importance of healthy eating, she explained.
Other strategies, which would be implemented in a couple of months, included raising awareness of healthy eating habits among schoolchildren and their parents.
Schools in Dubai have already banned sale of fast food items in canteens as per the MoH recommendations.
The other emirates are expected to follow suit soon as all strategies formed are applicable uniformly, she added.
Meanwhile, Join the Movement, a public initiative supported by the MoH, is being launched on February 22 at Zabeel Park to halt and help reverse the rise in cases of obesity in the UAE.
Join the Movement chairperson Dr Suhair Aqil said, Obesity is one of the main health burdens in the UAE and it is largely determined by environmental and lifestyle factors.
Rana Shehadeh, clinical dietitian at the Advanced Nutrition Centre, said, In the UAE, we consume more of calorie-dense foods, foods that are high in fats, high in simple sugars, low in complex carbohydrates and fibres. All combined with a very low level of activity has resulted in a rise in the prevalence of obesity and diabetes or diabesity (a newly coined word) in the country.
According to the recently published statistics by the World Health Organisation, obesity is on the rise across all ethnic groups in the UAE, and the increase is particularly severe among UAE nationals. According to the figures, 73 per cent of women and 66 per cent of men in the country are overweight. As a result, the UAE ranks fourth most obese country in the world preceded by the US, Turkey, Mexico and Egypt.