{
  "id": 19150832,
  "title": "Abu Dhabi is putting sleep and mental well-being into its obesity strategy, says ADPHC",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/abu-dhabi-is-putting-sleep-and-mental-well-being-into-its-obesity",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-11-09T11:23:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/uae/abu-dhabi/abu-dhabi-is-putting-sleep-and-mental-well-being-into-its-obesity-strategy-says-adphc-1.500741053"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dr Durra Mohammed Al Blooshi, Acting Executive Director of the Community Health Sector at the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC), explained that obesity is treated as a chronic, complex condition influenced by factors beyond just body weight during the iCON Summit. The emirate approaches obesity by considering the environment, sleep, movement, and well-being, with mental health playing a crucial role. The centre has integrated mental health into their weight management strategy due to its impact on appetite and mood. Nutritionist Manal Akalay highlighted the importance of even a small weight loss, such as 1 kg, for an individual's health. Sumaiya Hamid, a marketing manager, emphasized that health and fitness are primarily about what one consumes. Her daughter, Samaira Mirza, expressed how living lighter has been a part of her life since childhood through various activities like fitness, yoga, and gymnastics. The ADPHC's personalized weight management program, launched in June 2025, has helped over 70,000 people lose weight since its inception. Abu Dhabi is also implementing a separate initiative to prevent obesity and treat overweight individuals within a broader public health approach that considers nutrition, sleep, physical activity, mental well-being, and the living environment. The summit aimed to improve health literacy, disseminate credible information, and help individuals make informed decisions about their health.",
  "summary": "Abu Dhabi: When the discussion is about obesity, the conversation usually starts and ends with the numbers and scale, said Dr Durra Mohammed Al Blooshi, Acting Executive Director of the Community Health Sector at the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) at the iCON Summit by Novo at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. She told attendees that the emirate treats obesity as a chronic, complex…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}