An integrative approach addressing diet as well as other lifestyle factors is warranted in studying obesity and its related diseases. The objective of this study is to examine the associations of lifestyle patterns with overweight/obesity among children in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Data were derived from a cross-sectional survey of children aged 4 to 9 years living in Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi (n=426). Dietary intake was collected using a 24-hour dietary recall (24-HR) and evaluated with the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). The Youth Physical Activity Questionnaire (Y-PAQ) assessed physical activity, while other lifestyle factors included presence of a live-in household helper, number of electronic devices in the child’s bedroom, eating while watching TV, family dinner frequency, fast food and breakfast consumption, and hours of sleep. Factor analysis was used to identify the lifestyle patterns. Two lifestyle patterns emerged: an unhealthy pattern marked by higher fast-food intake, eating while watching TV, having a live-in household helper, and lower family dinners; and a healthy pattern with higher physical activity, better HEI, more sleep, micronutrient supplements, and breakfast consumption. The healthy lifestyle pattern was linked to a 30% reduction in overweight/obesity odds (OR= 0.7, 95% CI: 0.53–0.93). A healthy lifestyle pattern, characterized by higher physical activity, better dietary quality, adequate sleep, and breakfast consumption, is associated with lower odds of overweight/obesity among children in the UAE. These findings highlight the importance of promoting comprehensive lifestyle interventions to effectively address childhood obesity in this population.

Ticks are important vectors and reservoirs of pathogens causing zoonotic diseases in camels and other livestock, rodents and other small mammals, birds and humans. Hyalomma dromedarii is the most abundant tick species in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) affecting primarily camels, and to a lesser extent, other livestock. Species presence data, land use/landcover, elevation, slope and 19 bioclimatic variables were used to model current and future distribution of H. dromedarii ticks using maximum entropy species distribution modelling (MaxEnt.). The model highlighted areas in the northern, eastern and southwestern parts of the study area as highly suitable for ticks. Several variables including land use/land cover (LULC) (53.1%), precipitation of coldest quarter (Bio19) (21.8%), elevation (20.6%), isothermality (Bio3) (1.9%), mean diurnal range [mean of monthly (max temp – min temp)] (Bio2) (1.8%), slope (0.5%), precipitation, seasonality (Bio15) (0.2%) influenced habitat suitability of ticks, predicting high tick density or abundance. Middle of the road scenario (ssp2-4.5) where CO2 levels remain similar to current levels, did not indicate a major change in the tick distributions. This tick distribution model could be used for targeting surveillance efforts and increasing the efficiency and accuracy of public health investigations and vector control strategies.

The prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is consistent worldwide. Psychiatric comorbidities are common, although less is known about how those comorbidities affect utilisation of healthcare services. Access to paediatric mental healthcare is a challenge in many regions. However, access to care in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is supported by a well-established healthcare infrastructure with widely available primary care physicians. A review of diagnosis codes suggests that a clear correlation exists between the number of comorbidities and increased utilisation of available mental health services. Infrastructure in the UAE may represent a successful model for paediatric mental healthcare.

The states of the Arabian Gulf present a novel case for the examination of relations between authoritarian governance and Christian organizations. The economic clout of the Gulf states has been central to political stability and legitimacy but they are increasingly seeking to expand and consolidate the soft power and resilience through political and diplomatic initiatives. This article examines how the Christian organizations established in recent decades by large migrant communities are incorporated into this strategy and how they are responding. It argues that religious tolerance has formed a central discourse in governmental policies and narratives that construct the Gulf states as modern progressive nations, despite their unique political systems based mainly on constitutional monarchies with limited political participation. This constructs local Christian communities as a source of soft power, despite their position as a religious minority.

The launch of innovative technologies has been credited with significant improvements in health indicators, but it comes at a high financial impact, and the value of certain innovations may not be well documented. Health technology assessment (HTA) is a universally established process to assess the incremental value of innovations. Despite its acknowledged value, almost one-third of the countries around the globe have not established yet a formal HTA in their health systems. The UAE is one of the pioneering countries worldwide in adopting innovative health technologies. This emphasizes the importance of exploring the key elements in the UAE’s journey toward the establishment of HTA. Our study aims to articulate an academic insight that can support the ongoing endeavors to establish the HTA in the UAE. This case study was guided by an analytical framework. Data was collected from document review and semistructured interviews, then analyzed by applying the codebook thematic analysis technique. The findings outline multiple facilitators and challenges in the perspective process, as they show a multidimensional interlink between all identified elements. Markedly, leveraging the role of specialized academia and building HTA genuine knowledge are the areas that need the most attention. The originality of this research is associated with analyzing the three health policy pillars: the context, actors, and content in a prospective HTA establishment process. The main practical implications generated from this study are supporting global health organizations, HTA policy entrepreneurs, and academics in improving their strategies and designing more effective HTA policy learning programs.

Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Sciences (AASS) play an effective rôle in Sciences, Technology and Community Development. Unfortunately, a small percentage of this knowledge is actually used in teaching at schools, universities and other academic institutions in Arab countries. The challenge is to provide effective professional development for AASS educators and researchers at all levels, from elementary school to university.There is an urgent need for a better communication channels among Arab astronomers and space scientists nowadays. In this respect, the best choice is to identify in the vast cultural heritage of the Arab basin, particularly in astronomy. Building modern and good observatories, planetariums and research centres in the region jointly by Arab astronomers and space scientists is essential and will be an excellent step towards developing AASS. The aim of this paper is to show the importance of the formal and informal astronomical research and education, giving examples of possible astronomical projects, and comments of the experiences that have been carried out in a few Arab Countries. We show as well the importance of the Astronomical Societies in developing Science and Technology in the fields of AASS, and the role of these societies on the community and the country development.

Beatrice de Cardi has been a figure in British archaeological life for much longer than most of us can remember. Less well-known outside Asia are her achievements as an explorer of the archaeology of the countries of the lower Persian Gulf. Here she offers a brief mémoire for us, penned at the age of 93. It is a story of pottery, peoples and vast tracts of ancient lands, then little known.

This paper is an account of child mental health services in a country that has undergone very rapid socioeconomic growth and change. Despite the economic wealth and the availability of funding, there are problems with human resources. Patterns of morbidity are similar to Western cultures, but attitudes to child mental health in the community are different. Such difficulties necessitate taking different approaches in service delivery. Child psychiatrists have to assume a variety of roles and working through the family seems to be surprisingly feasible and acceptable.