{
  "id": 19579536,
  "title": "How the UAE’s conversation about obesity is moving beyond the scale",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/how-the-uaes-conversation-about-obesity-is-moving-beyond-the-scale",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-11-12T01:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/in-focus/2026/11/12/how-the-uaes-conversation-about-obesity-is-moving-beyond-the-scale/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The UAE is shifting its conversation about obesity beyond simply focusing on weight. According to the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s National Health and Nutrition Survey 2024-2025, nearly one in five adults in the UAE, 22.4 per cent, have obesity. Additional surveys reveal that over half of adults have high cholesterol, one in four have high blood pressure, and one in eight have elevated blood glucose levels. These conditions often coexist, with obesity being recognized as a chronic disease linked to Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Novo Gulf, a prominent company in the UAE, aims for \"lasting health\" rather than just temporary weight loss. Its general manager, Venkat Kalyan, emphasized that obesity should be treated as a medical condition, not solely a matter of personal discipline. Kalyan highlighted that excess weight strains the heart and is linked to high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar—a point underscored by the survey’s findings. Novo Gulf's flagship GLP-1 medicine, initially developed for Type 2 diabetes, has been employed since 2017 for weight management and has recently been approved to help lower the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with established heart disease and obesity. Clinical trials show that this medication benefits overall heart health beyond weight loss, altering the focus from merely losing weight to improving long-term health. In June, the UAE became the second country, following the US, to approve the tablet form of GLP-1 for weight management, underscoring the country’s dedication to innovative medical treatments while maintaining stringent safety standards. This rapid regulatory approval, according to Kalyan, was achieved without sacrificing safety, positioning the UAE as an innovative leader in healthcare. Novo Gulf, established in 1923, is expanding its presence in the UAE with plans for a regional distribution centre to serve the Gulf region and beyond. Kalyan emphasized that while medicine plays a crucial role in managing obesity, diet and physical activity remain foundational. Novo Gulf offers a patient education programme, NovoCare, which includes digital tools, a call centre, and a team of patient educators to assist individuals in understanding and managing their condition. Kalyan stressed that professional medical guidance is essential and that the first step towards better health is an honest conversation with a healthcare provider.",
  "summary": "For a long time, the conversation about obesity came down to one number on the scale. That is starting to change. Almost a quarter of adults in the UAE, 22.4 per cent, are living with obesity, according to the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s National Health and Nutrition Survey 2024-2025. The same survey found that more than half of adults have high cholesterol, about one in four has high…",
  "key_points": [
    "Nearly 1 in 5 UAE adults have obesity, according to 2024-2025 survey.",
    "Over half of UAE adults have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or elevated blood glucose.",
    "Novo Gulf's GLP-1 medicine treats obesity as a chronic disease, not just personal discipline."
  ],
  "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."
}