Prevalences and correlates of diabetes, obesity, and hyperlipidemia in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)‎

Abstract EN

-Associated with the rapid socioeconomic development during the last three decades, coronary heart disease (CHD) has emerged as a major cause of mortality in the UAE.

Yet the prevalences and correlates of CHD risk factors including diabetes, obesity, and hyperlipidemia have not been studied in depth in any UAE population.

We examined 358 apparently healthy officebased male employees of the Abu Dhabi oil industry for these three conditions.

These men, aged 35-49 years, belonged to one of six ethnic groups: South Asian, Peninsular Arab, Shawam, Egyptian, Afro-Arab and European.

Of all studied men, 10% had diabetes and 18% had glucose intolerance, 51% of the men were grade 1 overweight (body mass index (BMI): 25.00- 29.99) and 18% were grade 2 (BMI:30.00-39.99) or grade 3 (BMI > 40.00) overweight.

31% of the men had a waist-hip ratio of 1:0.

Borderline high levels (200-239 mgldL) and high level (> 240 mgldL) of total blood cholesterol were detected in 35 % and 39 % of the men, respectively.

The prevalences of the three studied CHD risk factors were associated with selected sociodemographic (age, ethnicity, level of education, and professional status) and lifestyle (current cigarette smoking and leisure-time physical activity) variables.

The high prevalences of diabetes, obesity, and hyperlipidemia in this group of apparently healthy men emphasise the urgent need for effective interventions and further in depth research in this population and other comparable populations in the UAE.