Abu Dhabi has rolled out a major health drive aimed at tackling obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases with the launch of 25 separate initiatives.
The measures, part of Healthy Living Abu Dhabi under the Department of Health, are designed to make healthier choices easier and part of everyday life across the emirate.
They range from new front-of-pack food labelling through Nutri Mark and tighter rules on unhealthy food advertising, to changes in supermarket layouts, expanded community fitness programmes, and stricter nutrition standards in schools and workplaces.
Health authorities say the push comes as noncommunicable diseases continue to rise, despite Abu Dhabi’s relatively young population.
Making healthy choices easier
“Healthy Living is about hardwiring prevention into daily life,” Ahmed AlKhazraji, executive director of Healthy Living told The National.
“We’re not trying to force people to be healthy. The idea is to change systems and environments so that healthier choices become the easier choices.”
He said the programme is built on the understanding that health is shaped largely outside hospitals.
“About 80 per cent of health outcomes are influenced by non-clinical factors,” he said. “Health is created where people live, work, learn and shop. That’s where we’re focusing our efforts.”
The scale of the challenge is significant. Globally, non-communicable diseases account for roughly three quarters of deaths. In Abu Dhabi, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease together make up nearly two thirds of deaths, a figure officials say will worsen without intervention.
“These diseases are largely preventable,” Mr AlKhazraji said. “They’re driven by lifestyle. How much we move, what we eat, how we manage stress and how well we sleep.”
The four pillars of health
Abu Dhabi’s Healthy Living Strategy, which underpins the programme and its initiatives, is structured around four pillars: Physical activity, diet, mental well-being and sleep.
Mr AlKhazraji’s team acts as the central co-ordinator for initiatives delivered by government entities and private sector partners, with initiatives tailored to different age groups, communities, and abilities.
A major focus is fitness facilities and people’s ability to access them. Existing facilities are being upgraded and new ones will be built closer to residential areas, with the aim of removing proximity as a barrier.
“I like to use the mosque analogy,” Mr AlKhazraji said. “Just as there’s an expectation in Abu Dhabi that a mosque is close to where you live, we want gyms, pools, pitches and walkways to be nearby as well.”
Community programmes are an important part of the strategy. Initiatives such as Degayeg, launched by the Department of Community Development and supported by the Department of Health, have delivered hundreds of fitness events across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
Schools and workplaces are also a focus. The Department of Education and Knowledge have already mandated that only healthy food and beverages will be served in private and charter schools, with the policy coming into effect next month; public schools will soon follow with the same mandate.
Abu Dhabi government entities will also ensure that at least 70 per cent of food and beverages provided meets approved nutrition standards.
A focus on diet
Food reform is one of the most visible aspects of the programme. Nutri Mark front-of-package labels will grade packaged food from A (healthiest) to E (least healthy) based on nutritional value, while a new policy launched by Healthy Living Abu Dhabi restricts the advertising of unhealthy food and drinks in out-of-home media across the emirate.
Supermarkets will also remove unhealthy products from ‘high-traffic zones’ including store entrances, ends of aisles, and checkout areas, recently mandated by the Department of Economic Development.
“These are nudges,” Mr AlKhazraji said. “We’re not banning products. People can still buy what they want. But we know where impulse purchases happen, and we don’t want unhealthy food constantly pushed in front of people.”
He stressed that the programme is not about removing enjoyment, particularly when it comes to food.
“People have strong cultural and emotional connections to what they eat,” he said. “We don’t want to interfere with that. What we want is to gradually make food healthier. Less sugar, less salt, less fat. Without people feeling deprived or noticing a sudden change.”
The medical side
The strategy also includes access to medical interventions, particularly Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre’s Weight Management Programme for people with obesity and diabetes. Weight loss medications are now covered by insurance, but reimbursement is tied to participation in lifestyle interventions.
“Medication on its own is not a solution,” Mr AlKhazraji said. “It has to be combined with behaviour change. Otherwise it’s not sustainable.”
Throughout the programme, officials emphasise that personal choice remains central.
“Autonomy matters,” Mr AlKhazraji said. “We’re not here to lecture people or tell them how to live. We’re trying to support healthier choices, not police behaviour.”
Success will be measured over time. In the short term, authorities will track participation and behaviour change. In the longer term, the goal is a sustained reduction in obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
“This is a shift from reactive care to prevention,” Mr AlKhazraji said. “And it shouldn’t be done by government alone. It needs partnerships with the private sector, with communities, and with individuals. But if we get it right, it’s a model others around the world can learn from.”
The Healthy Living Strategy was endorsed earlier this year by the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and is being implemented by a range of government entities, with further initiatives set to be announced in the coming months.
