New limits on salt, sugar and fat in packaged food are being introduced alongside school-based prevention and personalised weight-management programmes as data shows high levels of unhealthy consumption across the UAE.
The United Arab Emirates has stepped up its campaign against unhealthy diets this year, moving on several fronts at once: tighter rules on the composition of packaged food, broader promotion of healthier options in shops and schools, and new approaches to spotting obesity earlier and managing weight through health-based pathways.
The urgency behind those measures was underlined by the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2024-2025, which the Ministry of Health and Prevention released on 6 January 2026 with national partners and endorsement from the World Health Organisation. The survey examined dietary habits and other health indicators among adults and children across the country, and its findings painted a stark picture of excess salt, sugar and fat intake alongside persistent levels of obesity.
Among adults aged 18 to 69, the survey found that 96.2% consumed more sodium than recommended, while 27.3% exceeded advised sugar limits. It also found that 27.4% reported drinking sugar-sweetened beverages daily, and 56.1% surpassed recommended fat intake. Average fibre consumption stood at 23.1 grammes a day, suggesting that many diets remained far from the balance health officials are seeking to encourage. The same survey recorded obesity in 22.4% of adults, 16.1% of children aged six to 17, and 2.2% of children from six months to five years.
In response, the ministry began enforcing in October a resolution that sets maximum levels for sodium, total sugars and total fat in selected packaged foods, whether made locally or imported. According to Khaleej Times and other local outlets, the rules are being introduced in phases, with the final nutritional targets due by 31 December 2030. Food businesses may continue to sell stock produced or brought in before the rules took effect for up to a year, or until it expires, whichever comes first.
The first group of products has until no more than nine months after the start date to meet the initial limits, while a second group has a longer adjustment period of two years and three months. The categories covered in the first phase include leavened and flat breads, sweetened milk drinks and milk substitutes, flavoured or sweetened yoghurt and laban, and high-salt snack foods. Processed cheese falls into the second group. The final limit for sodium in leavened bread is set at 370 milligrammes per 100 grammes, down from 444 milligrammes at the earlier stage, while the rules also tighten thresholds for sugars and fat in several of the targeted products.
The push has extended beyond food factories and importers into supermarkets, digital retail spaces and schools. In Abu Dhabi, the Healthy Living initiative recognised organisations in October for commitments to making healthier options more visible in products, shopping environments and online platforms. At the same time, the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s school canteen laboratory programme, launched in January with education partners, is designed to help children accept healthier food by involving them in tasting, recipe testing and meal preparation. In Sharjah, the project brought together students, teachers, parents, chefs and specialists in a hands-on format aimed at changing preferences early.
Officials have also been working to improve early detection and weight management. In April, the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre said it was expanding its partnership with Novo Nordisk to support a personalised weight management programme that helps family doctors and other health professionals identify cases earlier and guide patients towards approved care pathways. The programme tailors follow-up to each participant’s health indicators, lifestyle and risk factors.
The economic case has also been made more forcefully. A report launched in May during a discussion with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism said that effective obesity and weight-loss interventions could save the UAE up to $1.5 billion in healthcare costs and add about $51 billion to gross domestic product by 2031. Taken together, the measures show a policy shift that goes beyond awareness campaigns, linking food regulation, school-based prevention and clinical management in a bid to curb diet-related disease over the long term.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
