Dubai kung fu master kicks diabetes thanks to drastic weight loss


Nick Webster
  • English
  • Arabic

A martial arts instructor is free from diabetes just three months after being given the shock diagnosis as he recovered from Covid-19.

Austrian John Duval, 41, weighed 137kg but thought he lived a healthy, active life until he was struck down and admitted to hospital with the virus in November.

It was then doctors discovered Mr Duval, who lives in Dubai,  had type 2 diabetes.

Thanks to a strict healthy eating and exercise regime that led to him shedding 31kg, he is now in remission, just three months after the diagnosis.

The use of data to understand our patient's health allows us to  prescribe care more effectively

“Without having Covid-19, I would not have known I had diabetes, it was a big surprise,” said Mr Duval, who teaches kung fu at Golden Eagle Martial Arts in Dubai.

“I thought I was super healthy, I trained regularly and tried to eat well.

“When doctors told me I had the disease, I thought it was impossible. They said my sugar level was over 400 and put me on insulin three times a day.

“I was allowed home after two negative PCR tests and I was referred to a diabetic doctor who prescribed special medication.”

While type 2 diabetes has no cure, it can be reversed through dietary changes and weight loss.

It allows people with the disease to reach and maintain normal blood sugar levels, without the need for medication, allowing people to live a normal, healthy life.

John Duval is a martial arts expert. Chris Whiteoak / The National
John Duval is a martial arts expert. Chris Whiteoak / The National

On leaving hospital, Mr Duval signed up to a monitoring and treatment programme with diabetes centre GluCare and uses Digital Therapeutics to check his blood sugar levels, dietary intake and exercise.

The Dubai company’s management plan includes a comprehensive assessment and biometric wearable devices to monitor how a patient responds to certain foods.

Users are sent reminders and updates on their health status by trained professionals who remotely monitor the patient’s diabetic status.

“It made me super aware of what I was eating,” Mr Duval said.

“I cut out a lot of foods, including all carbohydrates like rice, pasta and bread.

“I swapped them for lentils and chia seeds, and drank lots of tea and a minimum of three litres of water a day.

“It felt like I was back in school, but I lost 31 kilograms in total.”

Mr Duval now weighs 106kg.

The World Health Organisation estimates 422 million people have diabetes, with 1.6 million deaths directly attributed to the condition each year.

It also expects the disease to increase across the region to affect more than 42 million people by 2030.

Currently, there are about 1.2 million people living with diabetes in the UAE, placing it 15th on a league table of international prevalence.

GluCare’s managing director and co-founder, Dr Ihsan AlMarzooqi, said tailor-made diabetes management programmes could reduce the huge costs associated with long-term care.

“The cost of diabetes is enormous,” he said. “Not only at a societal and economic level, but fundamentally on an individual level.

“While technology is at the core of what we do, it is the application and use of it that allows us to connect with our patients in a more meaningful, impactful and supportive way.

“The use of data to understand our patient’s health allows us to be more present with them in-clinic and prescribe care more effectively.”

RACE CARD

6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group 1 (PA) Dh119,373 (Dirt) 1,600m

7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 1,200m

7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Turf) 1,800m

8.15pm UAE 1000 Guineas Trial (TB) Dh183,650 (D) 1,400m

9.50pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m

9.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m

THE BIO

Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979

Education: UAE University, Al Ain

Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6

Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma

Favourite book: Science and geology

Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC

Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.

MATCH INFO

Manchester City 3 (Silva 8' &15, Foden 33')

Birmginahm City 0

Man of the match Bernado Silva (Manchester City)

MATCH INFO

Chelsea 4 (Mount 18',Werner 44', Hudson-Odoi 49', Havertz 85')

Morecambe 0

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

Disclaimer

Director: Alfonso Cuaron 

Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville 

Rating: 4/5

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.4-litre%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E470bhp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E637Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh375%2C900%20(estimate)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Little Things

Directed by: John Lee Hancock

Starring: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto

Four stars

THURSDAY FIXTURES

4.15pm: Italy v Spain (Group A)
5.30pm: Egypt v Mexico (Group B)
6.45pm: UAE v Japan (Group A)
8pm: Iran v Russia (Group B)

NYBL PROFILE

Company name: Nybl 

Date started: November 2018

Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence

Initial investment: $500,000

Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)

Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up 

The%20Letter%20Writer
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Layla%20Kaylif%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eslam%20Al%20Kawarit%2C%20Rosy%20McEwen%2C%20Muhammad%20Amir%20Nawaz%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO

Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD

* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10

Kandahar%20
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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RESULT

Manchester City 5 Swansea City 0
Man City:
D Silva (12'), Sterling (16'), De Bruyne (54' ), B Silva (64' minutes), Jesus (88')

KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY
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Company profile

Company name: Suraasa

Started: 2018

Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker

Based: India, UAE and the UK

Industry: EdTech

Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding

Breast cancer in men: the facts

1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.

2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash. 

3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible. 

4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key. 

5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor

 

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Moving%20Out%202
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