Keep kids physically and mentally healthy this summer

Every parent across the UAE will know just how trying this time of year can be when it comes to keeping the children physically busy and mentally active, but it is important according to health experts.

While the summer holidays provide a break from school work and a chance to reset for the new term, health experts are suggesting that families that are staying put in the UAE for the summer, it is imperative that parents focus on finding the right balance between entertainment and creative engagement for their children.

Doctor Arif Khan, Consultant Pediatric Neurologist and Epileptologist and Head of Children's Services at Abu Dhabi's American Center for Psychiatry and Neurology, says keeping kids engaged both physically and mentally during the break can improve their performance ahead of the new academic year. He adds that being active strengthens their muscles and bones and ensures their bodies are capable of running day-to-day activities.

It is also important to remember that children’s activity levels in their early stages can have an effect on them for the rest of their lives.

Following, Khan offers five tips to help parents keep their kids mentally and physically healthy this summer.

1. Structure the day or week with activities — create a schedule each day or week so your child knows what to expect. For example, 9-10am: Bike riding or dog walk to the park. This type of structure works particularly well with children who have a lot of energy. By creating plenty of activities in advance, you will reduce distractions, impulses, boredom, and ultimately depression and accidents.

2. Encourage children to track their activity — for the kids that spend countless hours in front of a computer or TV screen, activity trackers might be the motivator they need to get moving. Activity trackers, such as iBitz or the TupeloLife offer an eight-week after school programme where children can track their steps and learn about the importance of being active every day.

3. Take advantage of summer camps — with so many different camps available for children during the school holidays, enrolling your child in a camp based on their preference, skills and interest is an option that can be very rewarding. Summer camps can help children build self-confidence and self-esteem by removing the kind of academic, athletic and social competition that shapes their lives at school. Summer camps also provide a stable routine and environment that is usually different than the daily routine that children are used to.

4. Exercise their minds and get involved — introducing children to creative activities that they might not necessarily have the time to do during the school year can be equally rewarding, like cooking or playing games, or taking part in family activity days.

5. Set a bedtime — this will help keep your child develop a consistent schedule and ensure proper rest. Lack of sleep can have a negative effect on a child's learning, as well as their ability to grasp and understand things during the day. A child can become quite fidgety, hyperactive and can also resort to excessive eating if they chronically lack sleep leading to obesity, social isolation and other health care issues.

healthyliving@thenational.ae

Qosty Byogaani

Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny

Four stars

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

The%20new%20Turing%20Test

%3Cp%3EThe%20Coffee%20Test%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3EA%20machine%20is%20required%20to%20enter%20an%20average%20American%20home%20and%20figure%20out%20how%20to%20make%20coffee%3A%20find%20the%20coffee%20machine%2C%20find%20the%20coffee%2C%20add%20water%2C%20find%20a%20mug%20and%20brew%20the%20coffee%20by%20pushing%20the%20proper%20buttons.%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EProposed%20by%20Steve%20Wozniak%2C%20Apple%20co-founder%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE

Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.