UAE Healthcare Bill for Obesity Expected to Hit USD 12 Billion by 2035

According to a report from the World Obesity Federation, the UAE’s healthcare bill for obesity is expected to reach USD 12 billion by 2035, with an estimated 7.5 million people in the UAE expected to be obese by then. 

The report - released on World Obesity Day - revealed that nearly 40% of obese individuals in the UAE are children. Meanwhile, approximately 22% of adults in Dubai are classified as obese, while 39% of adults live in Ajman and Fujairah.

In 2008, the UAE introduced the National Anti-obesity Initiative, which aims to manage the escalating obesity rates. The initiative included measures such as a sugar tax, health and activity awareness campaigns, and the establishment of women-only fitness facilities. The initiative came as part of a larger strategy that also targeted polio eradication and cervical cancer prevention.