ObjectivesTo estimate the prevalence and predictors of obesity among adolescents in the United Arab Emirates.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingPrivate and public secondary schools.ParticipantsAdolescents aged 13–19 years; 434 (46.6%) from private schools and 498 (53.4%) from public schools.MeasuresSelf-report questionnaires were used to assess adolescents’ sociodemographic factors, fruit/vegetable (F/V) intake and physical activity. Participants’ weight, height, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference and body fat percentage (%BF) were measured, and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and body mass index (BMI) were calculated. Overweight/obesity was determined by BMI ≥85th percentile for age, abdominal obesity (AO) (WC, WHtR and WHR) and %BF.ResultsA total of 34.7% of participants were overweight/obese (BMI ≥85th percentile) and 378 (40.6%) had high %BF. AO was noted in 47.3%, 22.7% and 27.1% of participants, based on WC, WHR and WHtR, respectively. Significantly more participants from public schools were overweight/obese (37.8% vs 31.1%) and had greater AO (based on WC, WHR, WHtR) compared with those from private schools. Predictors of obesity based on BMI were: consuming less than five servings of F/V (adjusted OR (AOR) 2.41, 95% CI: 1.73 to 3.36), being physically inactive (AOR 2.09, CI: 1.36 to 3.22) and being men (AOR 3.35, 95% CI: 2.20 to 5.10). Predictors of AO were being men (WC: AOR 1.42, 95% CI: 1.01 to 2.00; WHtR: AOR 2.72, 95% CI: 1.81 to 4.08); studying at public school (WHR: AOR 1.67, 95% CI: 1.06 to 2.66); being Emirati (WHR: AOR 0.62, 95% CI: 0.43 to 0.90); consuming less than five servings of F/V (WC: AOR 1.71, 95% CI: 1.27 to 2.30; WHtR: AOR 1.46, 95% CI: 1.05 to 2.03), and being physically inactive (WC: AOR 1.63; 95% CI: 1.13 to 2.35).ConclusionsFocused interventions are needed to combat obesity while considering AO indicators and BMI to diagnose obesity in adolescents.

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Background: Although solid evidence has indicated that respiratory symptoms are common amongst patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), state-of-the-art cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs do not typically include management strategies to address respiratory symptoms. This study investigated the effect of the addition of breathing exercises (BE) to the CR programs in CHF. Methods: In a two parallel-arm randomized controlled study (RCT), 40 middle-aged patients with CHF and respiratory symptoms were recruited and randomized into two equal groups (n = 20); group (A): standard CR with BE and group (B): standard CR alone. Primary outcomes were respiratory parameters and secondary outcomes included cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary outcomes. All the participants attended a program of aerobic exercise (three sessions/week, 60–75% MHR, 45–55 min) for 12 weeks, plus educational, nutritional, and psychological counseling. Group (A) patients attended the same program together with BE using inspiratory muscle training (IMT) and breathing calisthenics (BC) (six sessions/week, 15–25 min) for the same duration. Results: There was a significant improvement in the respiratory outcomes, and most of the cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary outcomes in both groups with a greater change percentage in group A (p < 0.05). Conclusions: These results indicate that the addition of BE to the CR programs in CHF is effective and is a “patient-centered” approach.

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Background:The COVID-19 pandemic closed most establishments in the United Arab Emirates except health care and other essential services from 8 March 2020 until 24 June. By 22 March, most citizens were working online, including physical therapy students, and a no-movement policy restricted exercise to homes. The lockdown ended partially in August 2021 and almost complete by January 2022. Objective: We aimed (1) to explore the physical activities of advanced undergraduate physical therapy students and their families during the lockdown, (2) to discuss how participants helped promote and maintain their own and their family's physical health, and (3) to identify what knowledge and skills gained in their physical therapy study students utilized during the lockdown. Methods: We took a qualitative approach; a one-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted by Year 4 physical students who at the time were registered for a module covering qualitative research methods. The students interviewed other physical therapy students from year 4 and 5 who were recruited using convenience sampling from a health sciences educational institution. Interviews were conducted and recorded on the Zoom platform and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was utilised to analyse the data. Findings: Forty-six students agreed to participate, and data saturation was achieved with interviews of 24 students. During the COVID-19 Stay Home-Stay Safe initiative, students of physical therapy were found to be physically active and to have designed home exercise programs for themselves and their families. Adherence to regular exercise was high among the students but low among family members. Three overarching themes, each with three subthemes, emerged through synthesis, coding, and categorizing. Conclusion: Undergraduate students can effectively promote their own and their family's health. Energy imbalance and increasing neck, shoulder, and back pain among youth and lack of exercise among adults, midlife, and older, raise health concerns.