Objectives: The association of obesity and family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) provides an opportunity for risk stratification and prevention, as these two conditions are the most well-known risk factors for T2DM. We aimed to test the feasibility and effects of a diabetes mellitus prevention education program designed for overweight and obese Emirati people with at least one parent with T2DM. Methods: We conducted a pilot study using a pre-post design without a control arm at the Diabetes Center at Tawam Hospital in Al Ain, UAE. Overweight and obese subjects with at least one parent with T2DM were invited to participate. Three study assessments were conducted at baseline, three months, and six months including a questionnaire, anthropometry, and laboratory assessments. Interventions included three individualized or family-engaged counseling sessions based on the DiAlert protocol. The study outcomes included awareness of risks and prevention opportunities to T2DM, behavior changes in nutrition and exercise, decreased waist-circumference, and clinical/metabolic/inflammatory markers. Pre-post changes were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results: One hundred twenty-two overweight or obese individuals were approached. Forty-four individuals met the eligibility criteria, and 32 individuals (35.0±9.0 years; 75.0% female) completed the study. At six months, there were significant improvements in the glycated hemoglobin levels (p = 0.007), high-density lipoprotein (p < 0.049), serum creatinine (p < 0.025), estimated glomerular filtration rate (p = 0.009), and adiponectin levels (p < 0.024). Sixteen of 32 participants had ≥ 2 cm reduction in waist circumference. They demonstrated notable physical and laboratory improvements in moderate-vigorous activity, average activity counts per day, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-6 total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein. Conclusions: Offering family-oriented diabetes education to people at risk for T2DM is well received and has favorable effects on relevant risk factors. Better testing with large-scale randomized controlled studies is needed, and implementing similar educational programs for the Emirati population seems warranted.

Background Chronic disease burden is increasing globally. In Arab Gulf Countries, the burden has increased exponentially over the past five decades due to rapid economic growth and urbanization. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), chronic diseases are the leading cause of mortality and economic burden, hence, there is need to explore their patterns for targeted interventions. Studies among university students in Europe and the United States show chronic diseases prevalence ranging from 16.5% to 30.0%, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first study in the Gulf region to assess multiple chronic diseases among university students. Our study describes the prevalence and patterns of multiple chronic diseases among UAE University (UAEU) students. Methods We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study among UAEU students ≥18years from July to October 2021. Online questionnaire was used to collect data. Self-reported chronic diseases were described and compared between male and female students using chi-square and t tests. Other students’ characteristics were also explored. All analyses were conducted using STATA statistical software. Results 902 students participated in the study with mean age of 21.9±5.2yrs. 79.8% were females. 80.7% were undergraduates. The prevalence of self-reported chronic diseases was 23.0%. Obesity, Diabetes and Asthma/Allergies were the commonest (12.5%, 4.2% & 3.2%, respectively). 34.8% of the students were either overweight or obese. Overall chronic disease prevalence was similar between males and females [27.5% vs 21.8%, 0.104] though it was significantly higher among postgraduates, students who are older, married and have family history of diabetes. 4.7% of the students reported 2 or more chronic diseases. Conclusions Our study showed that more than 1 in 5 of the students reported at least one chronic disease. This shows the need for proactive chronic disease screening and prevention programs to meet the health needs of the students. Key messages • Prevalence of chronic diseases (Diabetes, Prediabetes, Obesity, Hypertension, Asthma/Allergies, Lipid disorders, Thyroid disorders, GI disorders, and CVDs) was high among the university students. • Universities should commit to researching students’ health and creating targeted health policies and interventions, as chronic diseases have direct and indirect negative impact on students’ education.

Background Chronic diseases constitute a major public health problem in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity. Chronic diseases have been found to be associated with an increased prevalence of depression and depressive symptoms. Depression can have detrimental effect on the prognosis of the disease and quality of life in patients. Aims and objectives This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and correlates of depression in a sample of patients suffering from chronic disease in Al-Ain city, UAE. Materials and methods A cross-sectional survey based study was conducted with 417 participants recruited from seven primary health care centers of Al-Ain city. Men and women aged 18 years and above suffering from chronic disease filled the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Univariate and multivariable logistic regressions were performed on the collected data to investigate correlates of different factors with depression. Data was analyzed using SPSS (version 26). The study was approved by Ambulatory Healthcare Services (AHS) Human Ethics Research Committee. Results The majority 62.41% (n = 254) of the sample were females, 57.97% (n = 240) aged above 55 years and with a median (Q25, Q75) duration of chronic disease of 8 (4, 15) years. The prevalence of depression was 21.1% (95% CI: 17.5%–25.3%). With severe depression was in 1.7% and mild-moderate in 34.7% of the participants. Depression severity was statistically significantly associated with increasing age (p = 0.006), low level of education (p<0.001), presence of asthma (p = 0.007) and heart disease (p = 0.013). Unadjusted logistic regression reported that presence of depression was significantly associated with female gender (cOR = 1.8, [95% CI; 1.1–3.1], p = 0.025), and presence of chronic kidney disease (cOR = 4.9, [95% CI; 1.3–20.2], p = 0.020) and heart disease (cOR = 2.9, [95% CI; 1.6–5.4], p = 0.001) longer duration of disease in years (cOR = 1.04, [95% CI; 1.01–1.07], p = 0.003). However, in the adjusted logistic regression analysis, participants with heart disease (aOR = 2.8, [95% CI; 1.4–5.5], p = 0.004), and with longer duration of disease (aOR = 1.04, [1.01–1.07], p = 0.014) remained significantly associated statistically with higher chance of having depression. Conclusion The prevalence of depression was quite high and the study highlights for health care professionals and policy makers, the importance of mental health support as part of a comprehensive management plan for patients with chronic diseases. A multidisciplinary comprehensive program will improve the long-term outcomes of these patients. Patients with chronic diseases may need more support and counseling at primary health care levels.

Objective Prenatal happiness and life satisfaction research are often over-shadowed by other pregnancy and birth outcomes. This analysis investigated the level of, and factors associated with happiness amongst pregnant women in the United Arab Emirates. Methods Baseline cross-sectional data was analyzed from the Mutaba’ah Study, a large population-based prospective cohort study in the UAE. This analysis included all expectant mothers who completed the baseline self-administered questionnaire about sociodemographic and pregnancy-related information between May 2017 and July 2021. Happiness was assessed on a 10-point scale (1 = very unhappy; 10 = very happy). Regression models were used to evaluate the association between various factors and happiness. Results Overall, 9,350 pregnant women were included, and the majority (60.9%) reported a happiness score of ≥8 (median). Higher levels of social support, planned pregnancies and primi-gravidity were independently associated with higher odds of being happier; adjusted odds ratio (aOR (95% CI): 2.02 (1.71–2.38), 1.34 (1.22–1.47), and 1.41 (1.23–1.60), respectively. Women anxious about childbirth had lower odds of being happier (aOR: 0.58 (0.52–0.64). Conclusion Self-reported happiness levels were high among pregnant women in the UAE. Health services enhancing social support and promoting well-being during pregnancy and childbirth may ensure continued happiness during pregnancy in the UAE.