30-day challenge to address rising obesity rates in the UAE

Abu Dhabi: A 30 day fitness event under the #TakeTheStairs challenge will be launched at Bareen International Hospital, Abu Dhabi on April 17 as part of a campaign addressing the rising obesity rates in the UAE.

According to the World Health Organisation, 30 per cent of the world’s population is obese or overweight, with the figures being more alarming in the Middle East. The prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents ranges from five per cent to 14 per cent in males and from three per cent to 18 per cent in females. In the UAE, obesity levels are as high as 37 per cent of the population, which is double the world average. There are also a growing number of people with Type 2 diabetes, linked to being overweight, with a huge 19 per cent of the population already suffering from the disease.

The 30-day challenge will see people across the UAE forego using lifts to at their workplaces or homes and pledge to use the stairs instead. Participants are also encouraged to post images of their climb under the #TakeTheStairs hashtag.