New limits on packaged food, healthier school meals and expanded weight-management services form part of a UAE campaign responding to high levels of excess salt, sugar, fat and obesity.
The United Arab Emirates has stepped up its campaign against poor nutrition and obesity this year with a series of measures aimed at reshaping diets, schools, shops and clinical care. Officials have moved to tighten the nutritional profile of packaged foods, encourage healthier choices in retail and online outlets, and expand early screening and weight-management services, reflecting a broader push to reduce diet-related chronic disease.
The latest National Health and Nutrition Survey for 2024-2025 underlines why the effort has been sharpened. According to the Ministry of Health and Prevention, 96.2% of adults surveyed consumed more sodium than recommended, while 27.3% exceeded guidance on sugar intake. The same survey found that 27.4% drank sugar-sweetened beverages daily, 56.1% went beyond advised fat limits and the average fibre intake stood at 23.1 grams a day. The findings also showed obesity among 22.4% of adults, 16.1% of children aged six to 17 and 2.2% of children aged six months to five years.
In response, the ministry began enforcing a rule in October that sets maximum levels for sodium, total sugars and total fat in selected packaged foods sold in the country, whether produced locally or imported. The regulation covers businesses that trade in the relevant products but excludes goods intended solely for export or re-export unless they are sold within the UAE. Stocks made or brought in before the rule took effect may still be sold for up to a year, or until their expiry date, whichever comes first. Products will have to meet final limits by 31 December 2030, with one group given nine months to reach the first-stage targets and another allowed two years and three months.
The foods affected include leavened and flat breads, sweetened milk drinks and milk alternatives, flavoured and sweetened yoghurt and laban, high-salt snacks and processed cheese. For leavened bread, the final sodium limit is set at 370 milligrams per 100 grams, down from 444 milligrams in the initial stage, while sugar and fat ceilings are set at five grams and seven grams respectively. Sweetened milk drinks will face a final sugar cap of eight grams per 100 grams, and flavoured or sweetened yoghurt and laban will be limited to 10 grams of sugar per 100 grams.
The campaign extends beyond regulation. In Abu Dhabi, the Healthy Living initiative recognised organisations in October for promoting healthier options in products, stores and digital platforms. In schools, the ministry launched the School Canteen Lab in January with education partners to support the National Nutrition Strategy 2030. The programme, staged in Sharjah, involved students, teachers, parents, chefs and specialists tasting dishes, testing recipes and helping to choose meals, with the aim of making healthy food more appealing to children. Separately, the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre expanded its cooperation with Novo Nordisk in April on a personalised weight-management programme designed to raise awareness, help family doctors identify cases earlier and direct people into the right care pathway.
Officials are also pointing to the wider economic case for action. A report released in May during a roundtable with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism said effective obesity treatment and weight-loss interventions could save the UAE up to $1.5 billion in cumulative healthcare costs and add about $51 billion to gross domestic product by 2031. That broader framing suggests the UAE is treating nutrition not just as a public health challenge, but as a long-term investment in productivity and resilience.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
