UAE report links obesity intervention to $51 billion GDP boost by 2031

UAE report launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, revealed far-reaching benefits of obesity intervention across health, the economy, society, and education, in line with the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision.

The launch was in the presence of Dr Maria Hanif Al Qassim, assistant Undersecretary for Policies and Economic Studies in the ministry, who said in her speech at the event that the report comes at an important time, as it highlights the hidden effects of obesity on the economy, society and human development, and not only on health, stressing that the importance of the report lies in its reliance on evidence and data to measure the real impact of weight loss, which contributes to supporting data-based policymaking and enhancing cooperation between government agencies, the health sector, insurance companies and employers.

She added that the UAE continues to establish health as a national priority within its development vision, noting that a healthy and productive society is a key factor in supporting quality of life, innovation and economic resilience.

The report titled ‘Beneath the Surface: The Hidden Socioeconomic Impacts of Weight Loss’, highlight a significant opportunity for the UAE to unlock both health and economic value through earlier and more effective obesity intervention.

These innovative interventions could help more than 1.2 million adults overcome obesity, potentially contribute $51 billion to GDP by 2031, and save $1.5 billion in health care costs.

Fadi Fara, CEO of Whiteshield, said: “This report reveals, for the first time, the true scale of the benefits generated by weight loss and obesity treatment in the UAE - not only in terms of improving individual health, but also through economic and social benefits and positive impacts on the future workforce.

The effective obesity treatment policies are not only good health policies, but they are also sound economic policies. With recent advances in research and innovation, countries now have an unprecedented opportunity to address the economic and social burden of obesity with greater ambition and at greater speed than ever before.”

In her speech at the launch, Leena Aziz, Senior Director, Corporate and Government Affairs, Gulf, Lilly, said: “Obesity is a complex, chronic disease that impacts not only individual health, but also workforce productivity, economic resilience, and long-term national development”, and added: “The UAE has made important progress in prioritizing health as part of its national agenda, and there is a clear opportunity to build on this momentum by further integrating prevention, early intervention, and access to care.

We are committed to collaborating across the healthcare ecosystem to improve understanding, reduce stigma, and support more people earlier in their journey.”

The Accelerated intervention could help more than 1.2 million adults in the UAE transition out of obesity by 2031, and prevalence could fall by 15 percentage points and unlock up to $1.5 billion in cumulative healthcare savings, add $51 billion to GDP in 2031 alone.

The report also highlights that GDP growth could rise by an additional 1.5 percentage points above baseline projections, bringing the UAE’s GDP to an estimated $790 billion by 2031, underscoring the role of population health as a driver of economic resilience and competitiveness. Worker productivity could increase by the equivalent of up to five additional working days per year per individual previously living with obesity, while annual individual income could rise by up to $772.

Accelerated obesity interventions could lead to an estimated 75,000 additional births by 2031, of which 24,000 would be Emirati, while more than 17,000 additional individuals could join the workforce, including over 9,000 Emirati women, reinforcing the link between public health, workforce participation, and long-term demographic sustainability. The report also projects more than 2,000 additional bachelor’s degree enrolments and a 1.4 percent reduction in university dropout rates under the accelerated intervention scenario.

The report segments obesity intervention into key themes, that include health, economy, society and education, which supports the building of sustainable health and economic strategies based on data and enhances the country's readiness for the future.