The Ministry of Health announces the results of the National Health and Nutrition Survey

The Ministry of Health and Community Protection announced the results of the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2024-2025, as the survey included 20,000 families in the UAE, including 40% of citizens and 60% of residents, in addition to 2,000 individuals from workers’ housing, ensuring broad representation and a reliable base for future health planning.

The Ministry explained during a press conference held on Tuesday at the Museum of the Future that the statistical analysis of the results of the national health survey among adults (18 years and over) showed that the percentage of smokers among the participants was 8.7%, and that 59.1% do not engage in sufficient physical activity. It was also found that 22.4% of adults suffer from obesity, 25.9% have high blood pressure, 12.5% ​​have high blood sugar, and 54.2% have high cholesterol levels.

The National Nutrition Survey monitored the dietary patterns of individuals aged 18 to 69 years, and the results showed that 27.3% exceeded the recommended limits for sugar consumption, while 96.2% exceeded the recommended amounts for sodium consumption, and 27.4% reported drinking sugar-sweetened beverages daily, and the average fiber intake reached 23.1 grams per day, while 56.1% exceeded the recommended limits for fat consumption, and the average energy intake reached 2852.3 Calories per day per person.

The results showed encouraging indicators in diet diversity, as 85.1% of women (15-49 years) achieved the minimum level of diet diversity, while the percentage reached 77.9% among children (6 months to 5 years). The diet diversity index is measured based on the consumption of at least five approved food groups during the twenty-four hours preceding the survey, which include grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, dairy products, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dark leafy vegetables, and vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables. (A), and other basic food groups.

Nutrition indicators in children

The survey showed that 16.1% of children (6-17 years) suffer from obesity, compared to 2.2% of children (0-5 years). The analysis adopted World Health Organization standards and used advanced statistical tools based on the growth index (Z-score) to measure overweight and obesity.

Vitamin D deficiency remains a health challenge. It has been shown that it affects 49.3% of adults (18 years and over) and 69.1% of children (6-17 years).

Maternal health and prenatal care

Regarding maternal health indicators, the results showed continued improvement in access to care, with 99.6% of women visiting the doctor at least once during pregnancy, while the percentage of those who attended four or more prenatal care visits was 94.8%, reflecting a high level of utilization of pregnancy-related care services.

The Ministry implemented the survey approved by the World Health Organization, in cooperation with the Federal Center for Competitiveness and Statistics, federal and local authorities, and with broad participation from partners in various emirates of the country. It included monitoring health and nutrition indicators, including health behaviors, nutritional patterns, maternal and child health, and noncommunicable diseases, in support of health planning strategies and policies, which contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals.