Long summers with extreme temperatures, mall culture, and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. None of this is news to UAE residents. A recent report by the WHO revealed that as much as 24.3% of UAE’s population is classified as obese and an alarming 70.6% overweight. Just as concerning to experts is the disturbing rise of health issues in young children and teenagers due to poor nutrition…
Earlier this year, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi released a statement urging parents to help guide their children to adopt an intensive lifestyle change. Attributed to easy access to high-carb and calorie, processed, and sugary fast food and drinks, the team has witnessed a significant increase in patients who are at high risk of chronic disease due to a Body Mass Index (BMI) above 25.
Dr Javed Raza, a physician in the Digestive Disease Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi said “While the rise in the number of patients is a sign of awareness that they need to get their health back on track, it is also an indication of the scale of the problem… 2020 added the challenge of homeschooling, fewer opportunities for outdoor activities. The pandemic may not have caused the high obesity levels, but it did contribute to an unhealthy lifestyle in young people”
In 2018, the Ministry of Health and Prevention found that the prevalence of obesity among children in the UAE was 14.5%. This followed national initiatives that introduced several measures to curb the sale and promotion of unhealthy foods for children. This included fines for anyone who supplies unhealthy food to schools, false or misleading advertising, and not displaying nutritional information on packaging. 2019 also saw the introduction of a new tax for sugary drinks to discourage parents and children from consuming a lot of sugar.
The past 15 months have been hard on parents and children alike. Lockdowns, work, and school from home and mental stress have caused a significant setback in our personal health and wellbeing goals. We as parents must take charge again, create awareness and educate children and young adults to make better nutrition and lifestyle choices.
The importance of whole food nutrition in children’s health and development cannot be stressed enough. Aim to lower their sugar and carbohydrate intake, especially from processed and junk foods. Low-carb is all about going back to basics – meat, vegetables, low sugar or sugar-free treats, nuts, and healthy fats.
Keto Goodies offers a range of low-carb, sugar free sweet and savory snacks that can be ordered from the convenience of your home and delivered straight to your door. So, what are you waiting for?