Co-existence of iron deficiency and obesity in adults has been reported in many countries. However, little is known on the association between obesity and iron deficiency in Qatar. This study aimed to investigate the link between abdominal obesity indices and iron status among adults in Qatar. A random sample of 1000 healthy Qatari adults, aged 20–50 years, was obtained from Qatar Biobank study. Body weight, waist circumference, dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) parameters and iron status indicators were measured using standard techniques. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the associations. The prevalence of iron deficiency and anaemia were 35.4 and 25%, respectively. Of the participants with a large waist circumference, 31.7% had anaemia. Ferritin significantly increased with the increase in the android fat to gynoid fat ratio and visceral fat in both genders. Serum iron and transferring saturation decreased significantly with the increase in waist circumference in women. In both genders, C-reactive protein increased with the increase in all obesity indices. Standardized values of waist circumference, android fat, gynoid fat ratio and visceral fat were significantly associated with log transformed ferritin in men and women. Waist circumference was inversely related to serum iron (β:-0.95, 95% CI:-1.50,-0.39) and transferrin saturation (β:-1.45, 95%CI:-2.46, -0.43) in women. In men, waist circumference was positively associated with haemoglobin level (β: 0.16, 95% CI:0.04, 0.29). Central obesity coexists with anaemia among the study population. Elevated central obesity indices were associated with an increase in ferritin concentration. The increased ferritin concentration may be attributed to the increase in inflammatory status as a result of an increase in c-reactive protein concentration associated with central obesity.

A thermal comfort field survey in sleep environments in winter and spring seasons in Qatar collected 833 sets of objective and subjective thermal and sleep quality responses before going to bed and after getting up. The subjects felt cooler sensations most of the time, preferred warmer sensations and the sleep environments are considered comfortable overall. Griffiths comfort temperature (Tc) was 24.3 ˚C and 20.2 ˚C in FR and AC modes respectively.  Subjects used air-conditioner (AC)s adaptively in heating mode in winter.  In 82.7% cases in air-conditioned (AC) mode, the comfort temperature was below the lower limit of the international standard. Subjects enjoyed quality sleep in Qatar. Overall self-declared sleep quality improved with thermal acceptability. Depth of sleep was higher in AC mode (mean = 3.86). On the other hand, mean global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score was high in general (mean = 10.7), indicating good quality sleep, and significantly so in free-running mode (mean = 11) than in AC mode (mean = 10.4). It increased as subjects liked their AC systems. This study suggests that overcooling in spring can be avoided by increasing the air movement without compromising sleep quality.