The UAE ranks as the fifth fattest nation in the world, according to a recent study published by the BMC Public Health journal this year. While many factors are to blame, including lack of exercise, education and awareness, it's apparent that the message of eating good fat, to shift stubborn fat, isn't getting through.
And this message has seemingly bypassed every nationality. According to the World Health Organisation, 67 per cent of Emirati men and 72 per cent of Emirati women are overweight, with expatriates heading in the same direction. "When workers arrive in the UAE, their obesity levels are far lower than after they have been here for a period of time," said Dr Mark Newson-Smith, the chief medical compliance officer of Emirates National Oil Company, at a Global Health conference.
So which part of the message went missing? The key part, which explained that not all fat is created equal - some is good and some is bad - which is exactly why the experts aren't giving you a licence to head straight to the nearest fast-food restaurant for a chocolate milkshake. Indeed, waistlines have been expanding rapidly in the UAE, largely because of the fast-food culture.
Based on more than two decades of research, the biochemist Dr Mary Enig, the author of Eat Fat, Lose Fat, believes saturated fats traditionally considered harmful (such as those found in coconut oil and butter) are in fact essential to weight loss. According to Enig, the diet police condemned the wrong culprit. Saturated fat and coconut oil aren't responsible for weight gain. Rather, refined grains and sugars, vegetable fats and trans-fats are the guilty parties.
Here to clear up the good from the bad is the Dubai-based nutritionist Rashi Chowdhary.
Why do we need to eat fat to lose fat?
Fat delays digestion and stays in your system longer than other nutrients. When you eat a meal that is rich in fat you stay fuller for longer and this makes it easier for you to control your cup-cake cravings.
When eaten along with carbs, fat gives you a steady rise in sugar levels which has a blunting effect on your fat-making hormone, insulin. Keeping your insulin levels in check is one of the first things you need to do while trying to lose fat. Also, studies have found that healthy fats, such as omega 3, stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Having a higher muscle mass guarantees a faster, healthier metabolism that contributes to a slimmer waist.
What sort of fat should we be eating?
Most of the fat that you eat, especially if you are working towards burning fat, should come from unsaturated sources, both mono-unsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA). These good fats are present in seeded olives and olive oil, unsalted raw nuts such as almonds, peanuts and walnuts, avocados, almond and peanut butters, fish and seeds.
Why have we all got so confused about fat?
Understanding the difference between the good and bad fats gets too technical for a layman. There is MUFA, PUFA, saturated, omega 3, 6, 9 - hence people tend to categorise everything under the label "fat" and shun it. And to make matters worse, the fat-free frenzy began in the 1950s and marketing experts took advantage of this confusion.
What is the typical attitude towards fat in the UAE?
Here, people are fat phobic. Most people feel buying fat-free, or low-fat, products is the answer to losing weight and being healthy. In fact, our obesity and type 2 diabetes rates are on the rise. We have become a society that equates fat-free with healthy.
Most of these low-fat fat, fat-free foods have more sodium and sugar. Since when did more sodium and more sugar become healthier than fat? We need to get back to basics and start eating whole foods if we want our body to function efficiently.
What type of fat do we need to stay away from?
The trans-fat varieties are the dangerous fats your body cannot process. Manufacturers produce trans-fats by converting liquid oils into solid fats by a process called hydrogenation. These fats are popular because they increase the shelf life and flavour of processed foods. Trans-fats raise total and LDL (bad) cholesterol, and lower HDL (good) cholesterol. You will find a lot of these in your so called fat-free and low-fat products, as well as processed junk foods such as biscuits and cakes.
Which surprisingly tasty snacks contain good fats?
Peanut butter on toast. Make sure it's an organic brand and buy the crunchy version over the creamy.
Cheese on whole-grain bread. Cheese prevents the accumulation of fats in certain parts of the body. Ghee or clarified butter (one teaspoon) on rotis, khaboos or rice provides a slow rise in blood glucose levels. Pineapple slices with grated coconut. Coconuts have saturated fat, but in a form that is easily digested by the body and gets used for instant energy so it isn't stored as fat for later use.
Seeded olives are chock-full of MUFA fat and can be enjoyed as a late-night snack if you are looking to burn fat.
Just as we cannot accuse one nutrient of being the villain of our overweight society, we cannot expect eating more fat to be the solution. Healthy weight-loss that actually lasts is when we genuinely work towards changing our lifestyle habits, understanding our food requirements, nourishing our taste buds and, of course, increasing our activity levels. And one good way to start today is by adding healthy fats to practically every meal we eat.
Fat-fantastic facts
Our bodies need good fat in our diets to burn body fat.
Fat transports the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K around the body.
Our brains need good fat to function properly. Good fats improve memory and learning.
Good fats help us to feel fuller for longer.
Fat cushions, and so protects, our internal organs.
Omega 3 fatty acids are thought to lower blood pressure, combat bad cholesterol, fight inflammation and protect the brain and nervous system.
It is believed healthy fats may reduce the risk of cancer.
Our lungs, eyes, organs and cells all function better with some healthy fat.
When eaten with carbs, fat helps keep our insulin levels in check.
Burning fats for energy provides us with a more consistent level of energy than burning carbohydrates.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
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More coverage from the Future Forum
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.”
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Company%C2%A0profile
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How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
The biog
Favourite hobby: I love to sing but I don’t get to sing as much nowadays sadly.
Favourite book: Anything by Sidney Sheldon.
Favourite movie: The Exorcist 2. It is a big thing in our family to sit around together and watch horror movies, I love watching them.
Favourite holiday destination: The favourite place I have been to is Florence, it is a beautiful city. My dream though has always been to visit Cyprus, I really want to go there.
Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
%3Cp%3EAverage%20amount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20at%20DIC%20factory%20every%20month%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EApproximately%20106%2C000%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAmount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20from%201%20litre%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%20%3Cstrong%3E920ml%20(92%25)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETime%20required%20for%20one%20full%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%20used%20cooking%20oil%20to%20biofuel%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EOne%20day%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EEnergy%20requirements%20for%20one%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%201%2C000%20litres%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%96%AA%20Electricity%20-%201.1904%20units%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Water-%2031%20litres%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Diesel%20%E2%80%93%2026.275%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
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Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
