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Dubai residents not eating enough fruits, vegetables

Once again, a key survey finds that Dubai residents are not consuming enough fruits and vegetables to keep themselves healthy.

A household survey to assess the eating habits of Dubai residents has found that more than half the population (59 per cent) are not consuming enough fruits and vegetables. Women, however, are consuming more fruits and vegetables than men. Over 50 per cent of UAE nationals (male and female) consume fruits and vegetables.

The survey shows that prevalence of sufficient consumption is higher among Arab male expatriates (63.9pc) as compared to the nationals (39.4 per cent). Indian women consume more sufficient amounts of fruits and vegetables (54.3 per cent) as compared to Emirati, European and other Asian women with a statistically significant difference. Results from a similar survey released last year showed that over 80 per cent of the Dubai population does not exercise.

Commenting on the lifestyle trends among Dubai residents, officials from the Dubai Health Authority, which conducted the survey in 2009, said that policies were being readied to encourage people to live healthy and ward off problems such as diabetes and obesity. Authorities have already taken steps to cut out junk food from school canteens hoping to raise healthy children.

Laila Al Jassmi, CEO of Health Policy and Strategy Sector at the DHA, said, “The results provide us with details which will help us tailor-make our awareness initiatives to reach out to various sections of society.

“The study establishes a direct link between education and consumption of fruits and vegetables, and thus points out the need to raise overall awareness in the society through awareness initiatives. A healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables is very important, especially for our population given the current prevalence of lifestyle diseases,” she added.

The Dubai Household Survey that questioned 5,000 households also revealed that the highest prevalence of sufficient consumption of fruits and vegetables is among high-income groups while the lowest prevalence is among low-income groups. The results also highlight the direct link between education, income and consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Dr Amnah Matar Al Marashdah, Senior Research Specialist, said the survey asked respondents as to how many servings of fruits and vegetables they eat on a typical day. One serving of a fruit was defined as a medium-sized fruit, or a handful of smaller fruits (fresh or dried) and a serving of vegetables was defined as a cup of fresh or cooked vegetables.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com