The Ministry of Education revealed that 13.6% of school students in the country suffer from obesity, according to statistics conducted by the ministry during the current year. This percentage was low by 0.8% compared to last year, which recorded 14.6% among school students.

The ministry revealed that it has recruited cadres with international expertise in schools to create a new school sport and spread daily awareness about food among students. It is preparing to launch a series of nationwide campaigns starting this month to encourage awareness of diet and physical activity. , In cooperation with three ministries, are: health and community protection, happiness and positive, food security.

The ministry's report called for concerted official and community efforts in order to reach a solution to reduce the growing obesity phenomenon among school students, especially that this phenomenon is of concern to all parts of society in the UAE.

The report said that the ministry is currently working with several federal and local bodies to measure the rates of obesity in the country, pointing out that the proportion of obesity in schools in the country has seen a marked decline this year from the past.

He pointed out that the Ministry cooperates with the Ministry of Health and Community Protection to measure obesity rates through a questionnaire or a WHO-approved indicator that includes many questions about the extent to which they eat vegetables and fruits , And fast-food turnout.

"The ministry distributes the questionnaire to school students in different emirates, and takes a large sample of answers through which you can know exactly the levels of obesity, and the ministry also has programs to measure the weights of students, and measuring dietary habits and the extent of its association with obesity and physical activity, That «the implementation of these programs are not only within the walls of the school, but extends to the homes of students to learn the patterns of food and physical activity outside the school walls».

The report stressed that the ministry has developed programs and mechanisms to ensure the availability of healthy food in the cafeterias and kitchens in schools, where fruits, vegetables and milk are provided to students, as well as the importance of eating breakfast and educating them about the importance of physical activity. The activities sector in the ministry is keen to organize many activities inside and outside schools to encourage students to exercise and educate them throughout the year, including celebrating the food day, sugar day, heart day, and other sports activities that support the efforts to reduce the fat. e.

"The Ministry of Education has introduced a national curriculum of certain standards for school sports, and this may be the first time it has been introduced according to standards that differ in the primary stages from secondary school. Therefore, the use of experienced cadres from around the world to help them create a new pattern of sport, Daily on food. "

"The Ministry is currently working with the Ministry of happiness and positive, to develop plans and programs of work and other activities to reduce obesity among students, because the ministry believes that achieving this goal will bring a lot of positive in children.

He pointed out that there is a file for each student in the ministry, which includes all physical and health information, weights and lifestyle, and whether he has any diseases, which helps the sports teacher and nurse in the school to cooperate with each other to learn how the student work and how to include certain sports.

The report concluded that the Ministry of Education can not work alone in this file, and therefore there are partners working with them, most notably the ministries of health and community protection, happiness and positive and food security, pointing out that «the ministry is preparing to launch a series of campaigns at the state level starting this month , Urges awareness of diet and attention to physical activity ».

0.8%

Drop ratio

In obesity rates

Among school students

From last year.