Khalid Al Ameri: We need help to improve our health and lifestyles

The more of these fast food restaurants that open, the more they push a culture of unhealthy eating in our communities.

Earlier this month, my wife and I participated in the 2016 Walk On hosted by Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC) and the Health Authority – Abu Dhabi at Yas ­Marina Circuit. It’s an annual event where thousands of people get together and complete a lap round the circuit – about 5.5 kilometres – although many participants are known to do more than the one official lap (Yes, CrossFitters, I’m looking at you).

The goal of Walk On is to raise awareness for health issues and promote a healthier lifestyle. Given the seriousness of the health-care issues that we’re facing related to our lifestyle, namely diabetes and obesity, initiatives such as Walk On and the work being done by health-care institutions like ICLDC are needed now more than ever. So why do I feel like they’re fighting a losing battle?

Here’s the issue. On my drive back home to Khalifa City, I noticed two new restaurants opening in a villa – Burger King and Texas Fried Chicken.

Now I know what you’re thinking: “What we eat is our choice and nobody is forcing us to eat that food.” But I feel that the more of these restaurants that open, the more they push a culture of unhealthy eating in our communities. We become products of the environment around us and that environment is junk food. It’s everywhere I look, from ads on the street, to commercials on TV and radio, to the restaurants that are literally becoming our neighbours. I’m still wondering how they got permission to open in a residential villa, but let’s save that for topic for another day.

When I lived in Palo Alto, ­California, I can’t remember ever seeing fast food. If my memory serves me right, the nearest McDonald’s I knew of was about a 25-minute drive away. I had a huge Whole Foods market just down the street, with local and organic cafes and restaurants all around me. Every morning, I saw women, men and children jogging throughout the neighbourhood. That was the culture and the environment I lived in every day, and that can have a strong impact on how someone lives their day-to-day life.

I can honestly say during two years living in the United States, my family and I visited a fast-food restaurant only once, to get ­McDonald’s ice creams. We also exercised regularly and there were tons of health-related activities the whole family could take part in – all our neighbours took participated, which incentivised my family and I to get involved and make healthy living a priority.

To drive a strong culture of healthy living, especially given the circumstances in the UAE, maybe you have to stop making unhealthy living an option, and that’s not something in the full control of the health-care organisations. Control also lies in the municipalities and economic development authorities.

At the end of the day, these fast-food establishments are businesses, and the Middle East has been a gold mine to them – it seems their growth knows no limit. One option could be to cap how many branches they can open, or perhaps give preferential treatment to food outlets that promote legitimate healthy eating – and not salads with dressing that has more calories than a burger and fries.

As citizens and residents of the UAE, we must come together to promote healthier living and healthier communities. Although a big part of living a healthy lifestyle relies a lot on personal willpower, the support of a strong network of organisations, groups and individuals can go a long way in strengthening that culture. We need health-care organisations to continue doing what they do and more of it; we need authorities to curb the growth of fast-food institutions; and we need to let each other know that the future of this country relies on us being healthy and active to deliver on the dreams and visions that lie ahead.

Khalid Al Ameri is an Emirati columnist and social commentator. He lives in Abu Dhabi with his wife and two sons.