Abu Dhabi is putting sleep and mental well-being into its obesity strategy, says ADPHC

Abu Dhabi: When the discussion is about obesity, the conversation usually starts and ends with the numbers and scale, said Dr Durra Mohammed Al Blooshi, Acting Executive Director of the Community Health Sector at the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) at the iCON Summit by Novo at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

She told attendees that the emirate treats obesity as a chronic, complex condition shaped by far more than body weight. “We have to talk about the number, the scale, and the challenge,” she said, pointing to the pressures many people face on a long journey toward better health.

Dr Burak Cem, Vice President, Novo Middle East and Central Asia, speaking at the official opening of the iCON Summit, said the programme would offer a glimpse into the life of a person navigating weight management, with several partners playing a role along the way.

Public health, he said, is one of the most important of those partners.

Mental health is the key to obesity strategy

Dr Al Blooshi emphasised that the environment around a person matters as much as individual willpower. Even the way a city is designed can influence weight, which is why the centre is working on parks, activity spaces, food environments and sleep alongside clinical care.

She said the ADPHC also organises its work around four linked pillars, namely nutrition, sleep, movement and well-being.

Adding to that, she emphasised that mental health is the pillar that has perhaps been the most underestimated, pointing to the link between low mood and appetite. The centre has built mental health into its weight strategy.

What living lighter means in daily life

Manal Akalay, a nutritionist at the event shared her opinion, joining the event with other prominent figures, “It is very important for people to watch their weight. Even if it is 1 kg, it will make a massive difference for them.”

Coming from a background in nutrition, Sumaiya Hamid, creator marketing manager at Platformance, said that health and fitness is not just working out. “100 per cent what you eat matters the most, if you’re giving the right kind of fuel to the body, no amount of workout you do is going to help.”

Accompanying her was her daughter, Samaira Mirza, a Class 8 student, who said living lighter has been part of her life since childhood. She has stayed active through fitness, yoga, Mallakhamb, karate, gymnastics and more.

Dr Al Blooshi also shared the personalised weight-management programme in Abu Dhabi that helped about 70,000 people lose weight in its first year.

The programme, introduced in June 2025, has been a part of the weight-loss journey in the capital. She also said Abu Dhabi had begun a separate initiative for people who are overweight, framing it as a move toward preventing obesity as well as treating it. 

Her remarks placed the programmes within a broader public-health approach to obesity.

She described it as a complex chronic condition influenced by more than weight or biology, pointing to nutrition, sleep, physical activity, mental well-being, and the environments people live in.

Separating credible advice from health misinformation

People today encounter health information through more channels and voices than ever before, making it increasingly important that they can recognise information that is credible, evidence-based and useful.

The iCON Summit aims to strengthen health literacy, encourage responsible communication and help people make better-informed choices about their health.

Speaking on the grounds was one of the prominent influencers, Sundeep Fernandes. On the misconception around health advice, he said no advice is ever fully ‘correct’. “Any advice from even a doctor or scientist will change after six months. Listen to your body and your mind.”

Dr Al Blooshi, speaking on stage, urged creators to check health claims before sharing. As the growing community of influencers can shape people’s health decisions, she urged them to rely on credible sources or licensed healthcare professionals.

“Today we make it very easy,” she said, describing a shift from the days when individuals had to research the best foods on their own.

However, with the SEHHI- certified programmes, she emphasised how the capital aims to make healthier food choices easier to find at work, schools and hospitals.

The summit provided attendees, the opportunity to experience life at a slower pace, with truth or lie activities, cycling to blend their smoothie, and pitstops to sit on the formula 1 car, and more.