Increasing obesity rates in school children in United Arab Emirates

Alblooshi, Afaf; Shaban, Sami; AlTunaiji, M.; Farés, Nadim; Alshehhi, Latifa; AlShehhi, H.; Almazrouei, Asma; Souid, Abdul‐Kader

doi:10.1002/osp4.37

Cited by 46 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…peninsular Arabia have looked at selected subgroups of people, such as university students, urban populations or immigrants, whereas the present study enrolled an age cohort including all young men in the UAE. Two studies dating from 2009/10 evaluating children and adolescents in the UAE have indicated that 25.0% of boys and 40.7% of girls aged 6-10 years 9, as well as 34% of adolescents aged 12-18 years, 20 were already overweight or obese and consistent findings have been reported in other studies 21,22. Although vulnerability to diabetes and obesity in Arabian countries may have a genetic component, 2 the fact that the prevalence of these conditions was much lower as little as 20 years ago implies that lifestyle factors are primarily responsible 2.…”

supporting

confidence: 75%

“…Two studies dating from 2009/10 evaluating children and adolescents in the UAE have indicated that 25.0% of boys and 40.7% of girls aged 6-10 years 9, as well as 34% of adolescents aged 12-18 years, 20 were already overweight or obese and consistent findings have been reported in other studies. 21,22 The implications of these findings for health policymakers are clear. Educational measures directed at parents and schools to encourage children to eat healthily and to maintain their weight need to be established.…”

Section: Ta B L E 3 Associations Between Cardio-metabolic Risk Factorsmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Prevalence of diabetes and cardio‐metabolic risk factors in young men in the United Arab Emirates: A cross‐sectional national survey

Alzaabi

Alkaabi

Al‐Maskari

et al. 2019

Endocrino Diabet & Metabol

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Introduction The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of cardio‐metabolic risk factors in men under 30 in the United Arab Emirates. Methods This cross‐sectional observational study included 33 327 Emirati men aged 18‐29 attending an obligatory standardized medical examination between May 2015 and February 2017. Body mass index, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure were assessed. Results Overall, 7720 subjects (24.4%) were overweight and 8835 (28.0%) obese. The age‐adjusted prevalence was 4.7% [95% CI: 4.4‐5.0] for diabetes, 41.3% [40.6‐41.9] for impaired fasting glucose, 5.5% [5.2‐5.8] for hypercholesterolaemia (total cholesterol ≥ 240 mg/dL), 11.5% [11.1%‐12.0%] for hypertriglyceridaemia (≥150 mg/dL) and 10.4% [10.0%‐10.8%] for hypertension (diastolic or systolic blood pressure—or both—above upper limit of normal). These conditions were already present in the youngest age groups and rise progressively and rapidly with age. Of the 26 648 subjects with valid data for all cardio‐metabolic risk factors, 16 563 subjects (62.2%) presented ≥ 1 factor, 6392 subjects presented ≥2 factors (24.0%) and 63 (0.2%) presented all five. Patients who were obese were more likely to present multiple cardio‐metabolic risk factors and to have hypertension (P < 0.0001). All cardio‐metabolic risk factors were highly correlated with each other. Conclusions This national cohort study in the UAE revealed that obesity, diabetes, impaired fasting glucose, hypercholesterolaemia, triglyceridaemia and hypertension are already highly prevalent in young adulthood. Public health initiatives are required to address these and to anticipate the future burden of diabetes and major cardiovascular disease for which these men are at high risk.

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supporting

confidence: 75%

Section: Ta B L E 3 Associations Between Cardio-metabolic Risk Factorsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Prevalence of diabetes and cardio‐metabolic risk factors in young men in the United Arab Emirates: A cross‐sectional national survey

Alzaabi

Alkaabi

Al‐Maskari

et al. 2019

Endocrino Diabet & Metabol

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“…With UAE's epidemiologic and nutrition transitions, which have resulted in high prevalence of diabetes, obesity, and cerebrovascular disease complications occurring on average 15 years earlier compared with trends in European nations, the need to assess and where appropriate scale up health literacy rate of adolescents and adults is selfevident. 12,13 High levels of health literacy strongly correlate with prevention and self-management of non-communicable diseases. 14 Especially among adolescents, health literacy interventions constitute an evidence-based approach for health promotion and reduction of non-communicable disease risks in adulthood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health Literacy Measurements with The Newest Vital Sign Instrument Among Adolescents from Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Awofeso¹,

Zarooni²,

Rabih³

et al. 2017

Turkish Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care

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Introduction: Assuring high quality health literacy for adolescents is important in the United Arab Emirates to facilitate government's Vision 2021 objectives of superior health and intellectual attainment of young people, as well as to reduce very high prevalence of adolescent obesity and other behavioural and dietary risk factors for health. Methods: In mid-2016, the authors applied the validated Newest Vital Sign Health Literacy instrument to 440 Emirati nationals and Non-Emirati (expatriate) high school students in grades 7 to 12 with mean age of 14 years in Dubai, UAE. Results: This study indicates that the mean literacy score was 2.7/6 and that 27.95% were highly likely to suffer from limited health literacy, 38.64% of respondents were possibly literate, and while 33.41% were highly literate. Emirati females demonstrated higher health literacy compared with males (3.26, 95%, CI: 2.94 -3.57 Vs 2.67, CI: 3.30 -3.04). Non-Emirati male (2.73, 95% CI: 2.43 -3.02) demonstrated higher health literacy compared with Emirati male. In contrast, Emirati female demonstrated higher health literacy compared with Non-Emirati female (2.36, 95% CI: 2.07 -2.65). There was no significant difference in health literacy scores related to school grade. Conclusion: These findings indicate a low percentage of highly health literate UAE adolescents, highlighting the need to improve health literacy training among UAE adolescents, and especially among Emirati males.

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“…In fact, overweight and obesity have become epidemics and are increasing at an alarming rate in both the developed and developing countries [51,52]. Pancreatic lipase is considered the principal lipolytic enzyme which plays an essential role in the efficient digestion of lipids and is responsible for the hydrolysis of about 70% of total ingested fats [53].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigation of the antiobesity and antioxidant properties of wild Plumbago europaea and Plumbago auriculata from North Palestine

Jaradat

Zaid

Hussein

2016

Chem. Biol. Technol. Agric.

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Background: Historically, plants have proven their value as a source of phytochemicals with therapeutic potentials and recently they play an important role in the discovery of novel drugs. Objectives:The current study aimed to investigate new antiobesity drugs from Plumbago europaea and Plumbago auriculata through the inhibition of the adsorption of dietary lipids. In vitro porcine pancreatic lipase inhibitory tests were conducted with weight reduction property as well as this study aimed to explore the antioxidant potential and to estimate total phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin contents in both of the studied species.Methods: Antioxidant capacity was evaluated using ferric reducing antioxidant power and DPPH assays, and porcine pancreatic lipase inhibitory tests were conducted using the UV spectrophotometric method, while total flavonoid, phenol, and tannin contents were estimated using standard phytochemical analytical methods.Results: Antioxidant potential and total flavonoid, phenol, and tannin contents of P. europaea were significantly higher than those of P. auriculata, and both of the studied species have potential antiobesity activity in comparison with orlistat. Conclusion:Results of the present study show that both of the studied Plumbago species consist of bioactive compounds that can act as lipase inhibitors and therefore can be useful for the development of functional foods against obesity. It can also be used as a source of lead compounds for designing new antiobesity drugs. Further isolation, identification, and characterization of phyto-active compounds responsible for antiobesity action are required to evaluate the full therapeutic potentials of these plants.

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Increasing obesity rates in school children in United Arab Emirates

Cited by 46 publications

References 20 publications

Prevalence of diabetes and cardio‐metabolic risk factors in young men in the United Arab Emirates: A cross‐sectional national survey

Prevalence of diabetes and cardio‐metabolic risk factors in young men in the United Arab Emirates: A cross‐sectional national survey

Health Literacy Measurements with The Newest Vital Sign Instrument Among Adolescents from Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Investigation of the antiobesity and antioxidant properties of wild Plumbago europaea and Plumbago auriculata from North Palestine

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