Areeba Amir
University of Sharjah,UAE
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Steroids Horm Sci
Background: Unhealthy lifestyles are associated with the prevalence of non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. 77% of deaths in the UAE are attributed to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), and there is limited evidence on the lifestyle of adults living in the UAE. The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence and significance of each of the five lifestyle variables- diet, physical activity, sleep, tobacco use and body mass index (BMI)- and sociodemographic variables among UAE adults. Methods: Data was obtained through an online questionnaire distributed via social media platforms and participants recruited were aged 18 years or older and residents of the UAE. SPSS was used in data analysis to calculate HLI (healthy lifestyle indicator) scores from the five variables, carry out bivariate analyses, descriptive analyses and crosstabulation with Chi-square test. Results: Among the 403 participants, 76.2% had a good HLI score, indicating a greater likelihood of nonmodifiable factors being the major cause of increased NCDs among UAE adults. However, physical activity, shisha smoking, and consumption of processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) had significant influence on lifestyle, as demonstrated by very significant p values (p<0.01) in Pearson correlation coefficient and Chi-square test. Conclusion: Non-modifiable genetic risk factors are more likely than modifiable lifestyle-related factors to be strongly associated with NCDs. However, genes interact with the lifestyle and environment, and lifestyle-related interventions are still needed in genetically susceptible high-risk groups.
Areeba Amir graduated with BSc in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics and has gained extensive clinical and research skills through clinical training experiences as well as research assistant experience. She is willing to make a beneficial impact in healthcare and has a social media platform called ‘cnjbyareeba’ on Instagram, where she posts nutrition-related research from trusted journals in an easy-to-understand format. Each post is cited with the article its information was sourced from.
