UAE Healthy Future Study

Leading clinical epidemiologist Dr Raghib Ali partnered with Tamkeen and NYUAD, alongside a host of other local partners including Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, to develop and lead the UAE Healthy Future Study (UAEHFS) into the causes of multiple chronic diseases in the UAE.

The project assesses how lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors affect the health of almost 15,000 Emiratis while exploring and analyzing the risk markers associated with obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

The UAEHFS has been recruiting participants since 2016, having received approval from the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, Dubai Health Authority, and the Ministry of Health and Prevention to conduct the research.

This collaborative study has advanced the cooperation between healthcare organizations and academic institutions in the UAE, leading to a raft of new measurable achievements, including 47 articles in peer-reviewed international journals.

It has also contributed to significant advances to the national capacity in public health and to the establishment of new regulations and further research.

Phase two of the study sees follow-up studies on Healthy Future Study participant cohorts and further genetics research.

This includes:

• Analyzing the baseline data and study the progression of diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease over time through follow-ups
• Fully characterizing midwakh and hookah use and their effects on the development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease
• Assessing how demographic & socio-cultural events have shaped genetic differences within the population
• Investigating how genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors could influence obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes

For more information, please visit uaehealthyfuture.ae