Ali Mohamed Saeed al Sudain thought he was in tip-top condition before he underwent the Weqaya screening programme. The 35-year-old Abu Dhabi police officer, a father of seven, exercised four times a week but did not give his diet much attention. After his screening, he discovered he had a high body mass index and a number of risk factors associated with diabetes.
"I was surprised to find that I had a tendency towards diabetes," he said. "Since I found out I now have a diet programme as well as my exercise regime." Diabetes is referred to as a "silent killer" because there are often no clear symptoms and many people do not understand the seriousness of the condition. Up to one in five people in the UAE are diabetic - and the numbers are on the increase. "Even though I exercise, that tendency [to develop diabetes] is still there," said Mr al Sudain.
"My father and mother have diabetes and my older siblings all have diabetes, but it stopped with me. Avoidance is better than treatment. "It is to everyone's benefit to do the screening, especially after a certain age," said Mr al Sudain. "In youth, we don't think about our health but after the age of 30 or 35 there has to be continuous checks." Despite a number of high-profile campaigns, Mr al Sudain admits he was not convinced of the benefit until he was screened.
"I didn't feel it was important at all," he said, "except that they forced us to do it in order to get the Thiqa card. "But al hamdulillah there was a use to it. I feel like I gained from it because it clarified things that I was not aware of." As well as receiving general nutritional advice from doctors, Mr al Sudain has also adapted his Ramadan diet to fit the new regime. The family have swapped certain traditional foods for healthier alternatives and changed the method of cooking.
"I used to eat things with a lot of fat in general, particularly sambousek, which I loved a lot in Ramadan," he said. "This year we are making it grilled and using other methods. Soup and salad is now a primary component of our iftar table. "I generalised the food programme, not just for me, but for the entire house so everyone is healthy." @Email:munderwood@thenational.ae kshaheen@thenational.ae
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Origin
Dan Brown
Doubleday
Key findings
- Over a period of seven years, a team of scientists analysed dietary data from 50,000 North American adults.
- Eating one or two meals a day was associated with a relative decrease in BMI, compared with three meals. Snacks count as a meal. Likewise, participants who ate more than three meals a day experienced an increase in BMI: the more meals a day, the greater the increase.
- People who ate breakfast experienced a relative decrease in their BMI compared with “breakfast-skippers”.
- Those who turned the eating day on its head to make breakfast the biggest meal of the day, did even better.
- But scrapping dinner altogether gave the best results. The study found that the BMI of subjects who had a long overnight fast (of 18 hours or more) decreased when compared even with those who had a medium overnight fast, of between 12 and 17 hours.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
- When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
- If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Khalid%20Fahad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Shaima%20Al%20Tayeb%2C%20Wafa%20Muhamad%2C%20Hamss%20Bandar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman
Price, base / as tested Dh222,500 / Dh296,870
Engine 2.0L, flat four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed PDK
Power 300hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque 380hp @ 1,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.9L / 100km
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
