Dubai: The UAE’s fight against obesity is being taken to new heights in a sky run, where runners will race up 52 floors of Jumeriah Emirates Towers on Friday to support Al Jalila Foundation’s obesity research in the UAE.

All funds raised during the Dubai Holding SkyRun, previously known as the Dubai Holding Vertical Marathon, will be donated to the foundation.

Over the last few years, Dubai Holding SkyRun has contributed Dh615,000 to the Foundation, which has invested more than Dh780,000 to address the prevalence of obesity as a “tier one epidemic” in the region.

In the UAE, research indicates that some 4.8 million people are overweight, said Sulaiman Baharoun, senior fund-raising manager, Al Jalila Foundation. Registration has been closed for the SkyRun, which will see 362 runners participating this year — the highest number in its 14-year history.

The runner who climbs up 1,334 steps (265 metres) in the shortest time will be the winner.

In 2015, the winning male runner, Paul Faulkner from the UK, ascended in 7:56 minutes, while the fastest female runner, Emilie Rentsch, from Australia, reached the top in 11:50 minutes. The fastest team, ‘3 and a Half Men’, completed the race in 11 minutes.

Runners are a mixed bag of athletes, corporate teams and everyday residents, some of whom trained for months for the event.

Five “elite runners” from Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic and Poland are also taking part this year, which marks the first time the run has been integrated into Vertical World Circuit, which features eight races held in towers in eight cities.

Cedric Betis, chairman, Dubai Holding Wellness Committee, said the event is “a key pillar of Dubai Holding Wellness Programme, an award-winning initiative that shares a common vision with Al Jalila Foundation of promoting health and well-being in the UAE”.

Baharoun added that Dubai Holding’s contributions to the Foundation’s Obesity Research Fund, as well as its wellness activities, are “critical to the overall well-being of our nation”.

Marino Giacometti, president, International Sky Running Federation, said, “The decision to include Dubai in the circuit has been widely welcomed. The star runners are as excited as we are to be coming to Dubai. It’s a city that has seen a massive growth in the number of skyscrapers in just the last few years and where the sky-running concept is already quite popular.”