UAE's obesity rate 'to be highest' globally by 2050

Lancet study says obesity prevalence among adult males in UAE aged 25-plus will rise from 84% in 2021 to 94% in 2050

- Waheed Abbas

The number of people in the UAE suffering from obesity — both males and females — will see a significant increase over the next two-and-a-half decades, says a new study.

A Lancet study said overweight and obesity prevalence among adult males in the UAE aged 25-plus will increase from 84 per cent in 2021 to 94 per cent in 2050, the highest globally along with Kuwait and a few other countries.

Similarly, overweight and obesity prevalence among UAE females will also increase to 95 per cent in 2050, ranking the country fourth globally after Egypt, Tonga and Kuwait.

Not just in the UAE, overweight and obesity prevalence rates are quite high among residents aged 25-plus in neighbouring Gulf countries such as Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman — higher than 90 per cent.

Among the UAE's youngsters, aged between 15 and 24, the population of obese and overweight people will increase from 62 per cent in 2021 to 81 per cent by 2050, which is also among the highest globally.

Doctors and healthcare specialists in the UAE blame a sedentary lifestyle, consumption of processed and junk food, excessive time on screen and lack of physical activities by residents for such high levels of obesity.

Co-lead author Dr Jessica Kerr from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Australia, said preventing obesity must be at the forefront of all government policies.