Abstract
The UN Human Development Report 2020 ranked the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as having achieved ‘very high human development’ and as being at the 31st position among all countries. Despite this, the ever increasing obesity rates among Emirati youth, higher than international standards, is alarming. This research aims at identifying how different perceptions of the built environment by parents and adolescents are likely to affect physical activity (PA) choices among male and female Emirati youth. This can help inform better health and education policies to achieve three of the interconnected UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely good quality health and well-being, quality education, and gender equality, that the UAE strives to achieve. Responses from 335 students (aged 14–20) from six schools and 250 parent responses in the Al Ain region of Abu Dhabi Emirate were used to understand the mean variation in perception of five built environment constructs. Further, multinomial logit regression was used to assess the health condition using the perception, behavior, and built environment measures. Results indicate that Emirati males perceive the built environment factors as barriers more than female adolescents. Parents perceive street crossing (p < 0.016) and sidewalk characteristics (p < 0.020) to be more of a hindrance. Traffic exposure, self-reported physical activity, and walkability near homes and schools significantly affect Emirati adolescents’ health conditions. Recommendations are made for various stakeholders including parents, school authorities, Abu Dhabi Municipality and Transportation, and the Urban Planning department on ways to enhance the built environment and encourage PA and well-being of Emirati adolescents.
Highlights
The UN Human Development Report 2020 [1] ranked the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as having achieved ‘very high human development’ and as being at the 31st position among all countries
Based on the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) categories, male and female students were grouped into four health categories
While close to two-thirds of emirate females were in the normal weight category, only half of their counterparts were in the normal weight category
Summary
The UN Human Development Report 2020 [1] ranked the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as having achieved ‘very high human development’ and as being at the 31st position among all countries. In recent years, health statistics reports from the UAE have found that obesity among children and adolescents in very high and on the rise [2]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [6]: Children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 years should do 60 min (1 h) or more of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity each day, including daily aerobic—and activities that strengthen bones (such as running or jumping)—3 4.0/). A 2016 study confirmed that the current lifestyle choices inhibits Emirati children from reaching these internationally prescribed levels of PA per day [7] and thereby increases the adverse impacts on their health, including obesity rates among children and youth [8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
