UAE sitting on diabetes 'timebomb'

Dubai: The UAE is sitting on a diabetes "timebomb" unless the government takes action and introduces legislation mandating healthier diets and more physical activities in schools, experts warn.

Specialists in childhood diabetes are meeting at the 2nd Arab Child Health Congress, which is focusing on diabetes this year. The UAE has the highest number of diabetes cases among adults, second only to the Republic of Nauru, a small isolated island in central Pacific.

Dr Maha Taysir Barakat, medical and research director at the Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC) in Abu Dhabi, told Gulf News there was only so much hospitals and health organisations could independently do to prevent and treat diabetes without government intervention.

"There are certain elements that we need help with like nutrition at schools. There is no use packing healthy lunchboxes for children when they can get sodas and chips at the school canteen," she said.

"We're sitting on a timebomb," she added.

She said the relevant government agencies should also increase physical activities during and after school hours in the curriculum. She also said the legislation should address advertising of fast foods in school zones, adding children in the UAE had a high risk of developing diabetes due to obesity.

Dr Elham Al Amiri, a consultant paediatric endocrinologist with Al Qasimi Hospital in Sharjah, told Gulf News making fast foods less attractive to children was key in the fight against the disease.

"Fast food is part of the axis of evil. There should be no special meals for kids, no toys, no game areas in fast food eateries," she said.