The indigenous population of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a unique demographic and cultural history. Its tradition of endogamy and consanguinity is expected to produce genetic homogeneity and partitioning of gene pools while population movements and intercontinental trade are likely to have contributed to genetic diversity. Emiratis and neighboring populations of the Middle East have been underrepresented in the population genetics literature with few studies covering the broader genetic history of the Arabian Peninsula. Here, we genotyped 1,198 individuals from the seven Emirates using 1.7 million markers and by employing haplotype-based algorithms and admixture analyses, we reveal the fine-scale genetic structure of the Emirati population. Shared ancestry and gene flow with neighboring populations display their unique geographic position while increased intra- versus inter-Emirati kinship and sharing of uniparental haplogroups, reflect the endogamous and consanguineous cultural traditions of the Emirates and their tribes.

Size and shape of knee implants play an important role in the success of total knee arthroplasty. Several studies have identified anthropometric differences of the distal femur and proximal tibia between the genders and ethnicities. Ill-fitting prosthesis can cause overhang or under-fit resulting in persistence of pain, periprosthetic fracture and decreased range of motion. The purpose of this study was to estimate the aspect ratio of distal femur and proximal tibia in the Emirati population and determine whether gender differences exist within this group. Magnetic resonance imaging datasets of unilateral knees scans performed on adult Emirati patients at a tertiary care hospital were retrospectively examined. Knee parameters were obtained from 65 males and 46 females (n = 111). Females showed significantly smaller AP and ML dimensions of distal femur and lower aspect ratios compared to males (p < 0.001). Proximal tibial dimensions (AP and ML) of Emirati women are also significantly smaller compared to men. However, aspect ratio of proximal tibia did not show gender variation (p = 0.956) within the Emirati population. Emirati knees showed significant gender differences in bony dimensions and aspect ratio of the knee, and also have smaller aspect ratios when compared with most other population groups.

Introduction: Modifiable health behaviors have the power to increase (or decrease) the risk of chronic diseases, impacting a population’s health and life span. Health and wellness programs can potentially play a major role in initiating and supporting positive changes in health behaviors, which may lead to improving an individual’s health span and reducing the risk of premature mortality. A better understanding of the health and well-being status of the population is crucial to the design of proper and effective interventions. This study aimed to describe the health and well-being status of a cohort of 123 employees in the United Arab Emirates. Methods and analysis: This study reports the demographic characteristics, body composition, cardiovascular fitness, functional fitness, biological age, and well-being of 123 employees from a large health sector company enrolled in a workplace wellness study in the United Arab Emirates. Employees were invited to participate in an intervention that was designed to validate the efficacy of weekly health and wellness challenges. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the employees' distribution. Results: The mean age of participants was 39.2 years old, 80% of them were non-Emirati, and the majority were from Middle-Eastern and South Asian ethnicities. The prevalence of overweight, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia, prediabetes, diabetes was 35%, 29%, 34%, 79%, 30%, 7%, respectively. Almost half of the participants (47%) were prehypertensive for systolic blood pressure, 80% had fitness category of poor-very poor, and majority (60%) reported exercising <150 minutes/week. The mean functional fitness score was 12.2 points, which indicated an increased risk of injury with physical activity. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that despite the advancements in healthcare in the UAE, several key preventable risk factors are still prevalent in its population. The introduction of health and wellness programs can support healthier lifestyles to achieve improvements in quality of life and health expectancy among the UAE population.

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