ABU DHABI // A Zayed University study has shown that the expression "a little ray of sunshine" is perfectly apt.
The study backs the popular belief that sunshine makes people happy.
The pilot study involved 20 female students at the university, 90 per cent of whom were Emirati, and will be the precursor to a bigger investigation that aims to provide the UAE with a guide as to how long people should stay in the sun.
"We proved that sun exposure is an effective way to improve the Vitamin D level and improve mood," said Dr Fatme Al Anouti, assistant professor in the university's natural science and public health department.
The study began when more than 100 students filled out two online questionnaires.
The first measured their sun exposure levels and the second their mood, providing a Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score.
Twenty students who were proven to be deficient in Vitamin D by a blood test and showing depressive symptoms were selected.
The group was split into two. One group was encouraged to spend more time in the sun for seven weeks from the end of January.
"We explained about the benefits of being exposed to the sun for some time," explained Dr Al Anouti, who conducted the study with associate professor Dr Justin Thomas.
"Even though we have a hectic lifestyle now we don't have time to go out, but we thought you can manage to squeeze 10 minutes at least each day."
People in the second group were told their Vitamin D levels were low and were encouraged to see a doctor, but were allowed to continue their lives as normal.
At the end of the seven weeks all participants had their Vitamin D levels retested and filled out mood questionnaires to provide another BDI score.
Average Vitamin D levels in the group encouraged to spend more time in the sun had increased, said Dr Al Anouti.
Some had sufficient levels while others who were severely deficient before had improved. Their average BDI scores also showed improvements in mood.
"That particular group showed less symptoms of depression," said Dr Al Anouti.
Average Vitamin D levels in the second group were found to have decreased and their BDI scores remained "almost the same", said the assistant professor, who hopes the study will be published in a public health journal.
"This is a pilot study which had a very small size but it will guide future studies that will focus on a larger sample size," she said.
The next study will have a greater focus on encouraging participants to change their behaviour and spend more time in the sun.
The aim will be to produce a guide on the time people should spend in the sun each day, taking into account factors such as the risk of skin cancer.
A previous study by a team from Zayed University and the Institute of Laboratory Medicine at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in the capital, published in 2011, was one of the first in the region to link the change in seasons in the Gulf to depressive symptoms and Vitamin D deficiency.
It closely monitored any shift in mood among 197 female undergraduate students over two-week periods in October and March.
Participants completed individual questionnaires and submitted blood samples to test their Vitamin D levels.
The research found that depressive symptoms and decreasing levels of the vitamin were far more prevalent in samples taken in October, at the end of summer.
"In the previous study we documented that there is a link between Vitamin D and depression," said Dr Al Anouti.
"But in this study we showed that if you improve your Vitamin D level, you will improve your mood."
The UAE has one of the highest rates of Vitamin D deficiency in the world.
Experts have estimated that 60 per cent of men and 65 per cent of women in the Emirates are deficient in the vitamin.
About 90 per cent of a person's recommended intake of Vitamin D is produced by the body in response to the sun's ultraviolet rays.
The rest is derived from foods such as fish and milk.
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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 is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
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Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort: