Some young Emirati women resort to extreme dieting or don't get enough nutrients, a study has revealed.
It was also found that many were not nearly active enough.
The study - by researchers at the University of Arizona and published in the American Journal of Human Biology - looked at the body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage and eating habits of 103 Emirati women age 18-30. Eighty were students at Zayed University, with the rest from UAE University.
They were categorised as underweight, normal, overweight or obese, according to their BMI - a measurement of body fat based on height and weight.
The results were a stark contrast to previous findings of high rates of obesity in the UAE.
Almost 29 per cent of the Zayed University students were underweight, with 46 per cent normal. At UAE University, 17 per cent were underweight and 35 per cent normal.
Sarah Trainer, the author of the study, said that in many cases, concerns over body image outweighed the women's interest in nutrition, and that some of their diets were "draconian".
"It was common for many women to skip meals, and this trend was worse in women who were overweight," she said.
This is not unique to the Emirates but "the difference in the UAE is that things are so extreme", Ms Trainer said. "The development has been so accelerated, and as a result the shift in food habits and lifestyle has been accelerated. Activity has been so radically altered in such a compressed time frame."
Dr Fatima Maskari, associate professor of community medicine at UAE University, also blamed social pressure. "Female students at this age are sensitive to messages presented in the media, regardless of nationality," she said. "This is an age group where body image determines a great deal of their actions."
The research found little link between obesity, socioeconomic status and conservatism, as measured by the women's abayas.
"Most of these women would wear regular clothes under their abayas, and abayas would be removed in all-women events," said Ms Trainer. "Many were also at an age where they were considering marriage.
"Universal access to health care for Emiratis also mitigated any correlation between obesity and socioeconomic status."
Social perceptions are not the only problem, according to Ms Trainer. The biggest challenge, both in the UAE and worldwide, is setting up an infrastructure that promotes a healthy lifestyle. She cited the lack of fresh, locally grown food as a factor.
"Imported food is not the same [in quality] as local produce, both in maintaining the nutrients and flavour," Ms Trainer said. "These are factors outside [the women's] control."
The lack of women-only gyms in Al Ain could also be a factor for the UAE University students, especially combined with their strict, regulated schedules. They are bussed from their gated hostel compounds to the gated central campus each day and are rarely allowed out.
As a result, they can only get to the gyms on the central campus or at the hostels, and eat in the dining halls there. They do not typically have access to outside alternatives.
But Ms Trainer said the authorities in the UAE and the wider region have one advantage that other countries lack - resources.
"They have the capacity to aggressively get behind these public health problems," she said. "It would be interesting to see how they choose to cope with these challenges."
mismail@thenational.ae
Anorexia's toll: comment, a16
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A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
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Intercontinental Lightweight: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) v Angel Marquez (ESP)
Intercontinental Middleweight: Amine El Moatassime (UAE) v Francesco Iadanza (ITA)
Asian Featherweight: Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) v Phillip Delarmino (PHI)
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Ali Kashief, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdelrahman, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Mohmmed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammad Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Eisa, Mohammed Shakir, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Adel Al Hosani, Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah), Waleed Abbas, Ismail Al Hammadi, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai) Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Mahrami (Baniyas)
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