Online registration open to participants of 'UAE Healthy Future Study'

ABU DHABI, 22nd April, 2020 (WAM) -- The UAE Healthy Future Study, in association with its Abu Dhabi partner, Tamkeen, aimed at determining the causes of common chronic diseases among the country’s national population, has begun recruiting online.

The long-term study was launched at NYU Abu Dhabi, NYUAD, in 2017.

Study volunteers now have the opportunity to participate through an online-based platform instead of physically visiting clinics to register. Participants can join the study, provide online consent, and complete the study questionnaire with just the click of a button.

The study seeks to determine how the health of 20,000 UAE nationals, aged 18-40, is affected by their lifestyle, environment, and genes, specifically looking at risk factors for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, including genetic, microbial and biochemical factors.

Raghib Ali, Director of the Public Health Research Centre at NYUAD and Principal Investigator of the study, said, "The UAE Healthy Future Study is the first study of its kind here in the UAE and will help us understand why rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease are so high amongst Emiratis, and most importantly, how we can prevent them in the future. With our shift to an online model, Emirati nationals between the ages of 18 and 40 are now able to take part from the convenience of their homes and help us build a healthier future for them, their families and generations to come."

Associate Director of the Public Health Research Centre at NYUAD, Abdishakur Abdulle, said, "The UAE Healthy Future Study, a national cohort study, is a great opportunity for Emiratis to participate online in order to assist us in developing better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies for the UAE."