Author and year Prevalence of cardiometabolic disease(s) Risk factors (multivariate analysis) Obesity in children Al Hourani et al. (2003) [21 ] At risk for overweight: 14% Overweight: 9% (at risk for overweight and obesity: Abu Dhabi: 21%; Sharjah: 24%; Dubai: 27%; Ras Al Khaimah: 22%; Fujairah: 30%) Not assessed Al-Haddad et al. (2005) [22 ] Overweight: 18.6% (calculated) (boys: 17.1%; girls: 20.1%) Obesity: 7.4% (calculated) (boys: 7.7%; girls: 7.1%) Not assessed Malik and Bakir (2007) [15 ] Overweight: girls: 19.8%, 95% CI: 18.3–21.6; boys: 19.2%, 95% CI: 17.6–20.9 Obesity: girls: 12.4%, 95% CI: 11.1–13.8; boys: 13.1%, 95% CI: 11.6–14.5 Emirati: Overweight: girls: 17.6%, 95% CI: 15–20.2; boys: 17.3%, 95% CI: 15.3–19.9 Obesity: girls: 14.3%, 95% CI: 11.5–16.7; boys: 12.7%, 95% CI: 10.4–14.6 Others: Overweight: girls: 25%, 95% CI: 22.8–27.5; boys: 20.5%, 95% CI: 18.6–22.5 Obesity: girls: 13.5%, 95% CI: 11.8–15.4; boys: 14.6%, 95% CI: 12.5–16.7 Obesity: Predictors: Non-Emirati boys (OR = 1.783, CI 1.499–2.121) Non-Emirati girls (OR = 1.767, CI 1.48–2.102) Birth outside the UAE (OR = 1.173, CI 1.015–1.306) Girls living in rural areas (OR = 1.614, CI 1.348–2.001) Protective factors: Boys living in rural areas (OR = 0.732, CI 0.591–0.912) Overweight: Protective factors: Non-Emirati boys (OR = 0.662, CI 0.572–0.769) Non-Emirati girls (OR = 0.569, CI 0.461–0.703) Boys living in rural areas (OR = 0.785, CI 0.629–0.974) Abdulrazzaq et al. (2011) [16 ] Under 5 years: Overweight: boys: 13.45%; girls: 12.98% Obesity: boys: 6.06%; girls: 6.54% At age 13–17: Overweight: boys: 14.16%; girls: 15.16% Obesity: boys: 6.08%; girls: 9.94% At age 18: Overweight: boys: 25%; girls: 30% Obesity: boys: 7%; girls: 10% Not assessed Al-Haddad et al. (2000) [14 ] Overweight: 9.0% (boys: 8.5%; girls: 9.3%) Obesity: 7.9% (boys: 7.9%; girls: 7.9%) Not assessed Al Blooshi et al. (2016) [23 ] Emirati: Overweight: CDC: 17%; IOTF: 16%; WHO: 4.5% Obesity: CDC: 20%; IOTF: 14%; WHO: 30.3% Residents: Overweight: CDC: 14% (calculated figure) Obesity: CDC: 18% (calculated figure) Age and gender: prevalence of overweight, obesity, and extreme obesity increased linearly with age in children 3–12 y (3.89% per year, R 2 ≥ 0.962); a rate 28% higher in boys than in girls Bin Zaal et al. (2009) [24 ] Overweight: girls: 13.1%; boys: 18.5% Obesity: girls: 20.5%; boys: 22.2% Protective factors: Girls: always eating breakfast (OR = 0.5; 95% CI 0.2–1.0); eating breakfast at school (OR = 3.4; 95% CI 1.6–7.4); frequently snacking in between breakfast and lunch (OR = 0.5; 95% CI 0.3–0.9); meat consumption ≥4 times/week (OR = 0.1; 95% CI 0.02–1.0); chocolates and sweets consumption ≥4 times/week (OR = 0.5; 95% CI 0.3–0.8); soft drinks consumption ≥4 times/week (OR = 0.5; 95% CI 0.3–0.8); fast foods consumption ≥4 times/week (OR = 0.5; 95% CI 0.3–0.8) Boys: fruit consumption: ≥4 times/week (OR = 0.6; 95% CI 0.4–1.0) Predictors: Boys: eating breakfast at school (OR = 3.0; 95% CI 1.1–8.3) Al Junaibi et al. (2013) [25 ] Overweight: 14.7% (boys: 11.7%; girls: 17.6%) Obesity: 18.9% (boys: 20.7%; girls: 17.0%) Emirati nationals: Overweight: 14.2% (boys: 11.6%; girls: 16.7%) Obesity: 19.8% (boys: 21.4%; girls: 18.1%) Positive correlation between child’s BMI percentiles and parental BMI (for every kg/m2 of parental BMI, the child’s BMI percentile increased by 2.34 percentile points) Negative correlation between child’s BMI percentiles and dairy consumption (each additional daily dairy consumption was associated with a reduction in BMI by 2.52 percentile points; ) Musaiger et al. (2012) [26 ] IOTF: Overweight: 15.24% (boys: 16.8%; girls: 13.6%) Obesity: 13.07% (boys: 19.1%; girls: 6.6%) CDC: Overweight: boys: 11.1%; girls: 11.5% Obesity: boys: 22.5%; girls: 7% Not assessed Obesity in university students Amine and Samy (1996) [27 ] Overweight: 10.8%; obesity: 30.6% Abu Dhabi: overweight: 12.3%; obesity: 31.6% Dubai: overweight: 4%; obesity: 31.3% Sharjah: overweight: 10.1%; obesity: 28.4% Ras Al Khaimah: overweight: 15.2%; obesity: 29.1% Others: overweight: 11.8%; obesity: 31.4% Significant association (bivariate analysis) between obesity and: Obesity during childhood Obesity among parents (both or mother or father only) Eating between meals (regularly or occasionally) Al Mukhtar (2000) [19 ] Overweight: 24.0% (<20 years: 27.3%; ≥20 years: 21.9%) Obese: 7.5% (<20 years: 6.5%; ≥20 years: 8.2%) Not assessed Badr and El-Sabban (2008) [28 ] Overweight and obesity: 13.3% Female: overweight and obesity: 8.1% Male: overweight and obesity: 22.2% Positive correlation between BMI of males and their fathers’ BMI (r = 0.51; ) Musaiger et al. (2003) [29 ] Obesity: 35.7% Predictors: Family history of obesity (RR = 1.88); not practicing sport (RR = 1.77) Sheikh-Ismail et al. (2009) [30 ] Overweight: 27% (age group: 20–<30: 21%; 30–<60: 33%; >60: 15%) Obesity: 16% (age group: 20–<30: 8%; 30–<60: 24%; >60: 14%) Not assessed Kerkadi (2003) [31 ] Obesity: 6.7% Overweight: 19.4% Reported hypertension: 2.8% Reported diabetes: 1.4% Significant association in bivariate analysis between obesity and higher consumption of cereals and fruits ( ) Musaiger and Radwan (1995) [32 ] Overweight: 19% Obesity: 9.8% No statistical significance was found for any of the assessed risk factors Papandreou et al. (2015) [33 ] Overweight and obesity: 28.4% Not assessed Obesity in community Ng et al. (2011) [3 ] Adult female: overweight: 31.4%; obesity: 34.2%; elevated WC: 53.2% Adolescent female: overweight: 20.5%; obesity: 19.7% Adolescent male: overweight: 16.2%; obesity: 11.7% Children (girls): overweight: 23.6%; obesity: 17.1% Children (boys): overweight: 9.1%; obesity: 15.9% Not assessed Carter et al. (2004) [34 ] Overweight: 27% Obesity: 35% Age (OR = 1.05; 95% CI 1.04–1.07) Metabolic syndrome Mehairi et al. (2013) [35 ] Metabolic syndrome: 13% (boys: 22%; girls: 4%) Elevated WC: boys: 22%; girls: 4% IFG: boys: 13%; girls: 6% Low HDL: boys: 88%; girls: 74% Elevated TG: boys: 5%; girls: 1% Hypertension: boys: 5%; girls: 8% Overweight or obesity: 34.6% (boys: 39%; girls: 30%) Predictors of metabolic syndrome: Boys: screen time (aOR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1–1.17); BMI (aOR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.2–1.33) Girls: BMI (aOR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.2–1.33) Al Dhaheri et al. (2016) [36 ] Metabolic syndrome: 6.8% (95% CI: 5–9%) (reduced HDL-C: 48.8%; elevated WC: 18.2%; elevated FBG: 9.7%; elevated BP: 5.4%; hypertriglyceridemia: 1.4%) (At least 1 component: 38.4%; 2 components: 11.2%; 3 components: 4.9%; 4 components: 1.8%; 5 components: 0.2%) Overweight (aOR = 3.8, 95% CI: 1.15–12.52) Obesity (aOR = 11.2, 95% CI: 3.1–40.9) WHR >0.8 (aOR = 3.04, 95% CI: 1.10–8.44) HbA1c 5.6–6.4% (aOR = 8.92; 95% CI: 3.39–23.48) HbA1c>6.5% (aOR = 22.5, 95% CI: 6.37–79.42) Malik and Razig (2008) [17 ] Metabolic syndrome: NCEP definition: 38.4% (36.9–39.9) (male: 32.4% (30–34.3); female: 47.0% (44.6–49.3)) IDF definition: 40.5% (39–42) (male: 32.9% (30.7–35.2); female: 45.9% (43.9–47.9)) Abdominal obesity: NCEP definition: 44.8% (43.3–46.3) (male: 25.3% (23.3–27.4); female: 60% (58–62)) IDF definition: 69.9% (68.5–71.3) (male: 63.4% (61.1–65.7); female: 74.6% (72.7–76.2)) High BP: 38.4% (36.9–39.9) (male: 47% (44.6–49.3); female: 32.4% (30–34.3)) High fasting plasma glucose: 50.7% (male: 46.4% (44.1–48.8); female: 53.7% (51.7–55.6)) High plasma TG: 33.5% (32.1–34.9) (male: 43.6% (41.2–46); female: 26.4% (24.7–28.2)) Low HDL-C: 53.9% (52.3–55.4) (male: 43.4% (41.1–45.8); female: 61.2% (59.3–63.1)) Emirati: Metabolic syndrome: NCEP definition: 42.9% (40.1–44.8) (male: 31% (27.1–38.9); female: 51.2% (48.1–54.1)) IDF definition: 41.8% (39.5–44.1) (male: 37.1% (33–41.5); female: 44.3% (41.5–47.1)) Predictors of metabolic syndrome for both definitions: Increasing age (≥40 years), female gender, and family history of diabetes Dyslipidemia Agarwal et al. (1995) [37 ] Dyslipidemia (total cholesterol) UAE nationals: borderline: 33.3%; high: 19.8% Arabs (non-UAE): borderline: 29.5%; high: 19.6% Non-Arabs: borderline: 31%; high: 11.4% Female: borderline: 34.2%; high: 15.1% Male: borderline: 29.9%; high: 18.1% <51 years: borderline: 36.3%; high: 16.5% >51 years: borderline: 34.7%; high: 22.6% Not assessed Hypertension Abdulle et al. (2014) [38 ] Prehypertension: 10.9% (male: 10.5%; female: 11.4%) Hypertension: 16.5% (male: 15.4%; female: 17.8%) Systolic hypertension: 14.6% (male: 14.4%; female: 14.8%) Diastolic hypertension: 4.9% (male: 2.5%; female: 7.4%) Predictors of systolic BP Z -scores: Age (B (SE) = –0.010 (0.005)); BMI CDC percentile (B (SE) = 0.006 (0.001)) Predictors of diastolic BP Z -scores: BMI CDC percentile (B (SE) = 0.002 (0.0003)); sex (B (SE) = –0.113 (0.025)) Positive relationship between BP Z -scores and weight status in all age groups and both sexes El-Shahat et al. (1999) [39 ] Hypertension: 36.6% (calculated according to census in Sharjah: 31.6%) Stage I: 32%; stage II: 4%; stage III: 0.05% Female: 33.7% (stage I: 28.3%; stage II: 4.8%; stage III: 0.05%) Male: 40.3% (stage I: 36.7%; stage II: 2.9%; stage III: 0.6%) Not assessed Diabetes El Mugamer et al. (1995) [40 ] (Age-adjusted prevalence) Diabetes: 6% (male: 5.8%; female: 6.1%; Shamsi: 18.7%; others: 4.2%; rural: 4.0%; urban: 9.2%) Obesity: male: 10.7%; female: 27.4%; Shamsi: 16.1%; others: 21.8%; rural: 17.9%; urban: 26.7% Elevated SBP: male: 23.0%; female: 19.7%; Shamsi: 12.9%; others: 22.2%; rural: 19.2%; urban: 24.9% Elevated DBP: male: 17.9%; female: 12.8%; Shamsi: 16.1%; others: 14.7%; rural: 12.1%; urban: 18.3% Predictors of higher FBG: Age 40–59: B = 1.59, SE = 0.4; ≥60 y: B = 1.01, SE = 0.43; tribe (Shamsi): B = 2.07, SE = 0.60; residence (urban): B = 1.56, SE = 0.37 Predictors of higher BMI: Age 40–59: B = 1.85, SE = 0.62; gender (female): B = 1.93, SE = 0.54; tribe (Shamsi): B = −2.18, SE = 0.94; residence (urban): B = 1.82, SE = 0.59 Predictors of higher SBP: Age 40–59: B = 11.5, SE = 2.7; ≥60 y: B = 21.2, SE = 2.9 Predictors of higher DBP: Age 40–59: B = 7.9, SE = 1.5; ≥60 y: B = 6.5, SE = 1.7; gender (female): B = −3.0, SE = 1.3 Saadi et al. (2007) [41 ] Reported: Diabetes: 10.2% (male: 9.4%; female: 11.1%) Segi-standardized rates among 30- to 64-year-olds: 20.6% (male: 17.7%; female: 22.1%) Measured: Diabetes: 25.9% (diagnosed: 15.3%; undiagnosed: 10.7%); male: 27.1% (diagnosed: 18.9%; undiagnosed: 8.2%); female: 25.5% (diagnosed: 13.5%; undiagnosed: 12.0%) Prediabetes: 22.8% (male: 19.7%; female: 24.3%) Adjusted for the probability of inclusion in the study: Diabetes: 17.1% (diagnosed: 10.5%; undiagnosed: 6.6%) Prediabetes: 20.2% Age-standardized rates among 30- to 64-year-olds: Diabetes: 29.0% (diagnosed: 15.0%; undiagnosed: 14.0%) Prediabetes: 24.2% Predictors of undiagnosed diabetes: BMI: B = 0.088; age: B = 0.059 Multiple risk factors Malik et al. (2005) [18 ] Diabetes: Crude: 20.2% (male: 21.5% (including newly diagnosed: 35.6%); female: 19.2% (including newly diagnosed: 44.9%)) Age-standardized rates (95% CI): 21.4% (20.4–22.4) (male: 20.4% (18.8–22); female: 22.3% (20.9–23.7)) IFG: Crude: 6.5% (male: 4.5%; female: 8%) Age-standardized rates (95% CI): 6.6% (6–7.2) (male: 4.5% (3.7–5.3); female: 7.2% (6.3–8.1)) Overweight: crude: 40% Obesity: crude: 33% Emirati: Diabetes: crude: 24.5%; age-adjusted rate: 25.1% IFG: crude: 8.8%; age-adjusted rate: 8.5% Obesity: crude: 37% Predictors of diabetes: WHR: OR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.18–2.55; age: OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.05–1.07; SBP: OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.001–1.01; BMI: OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02–1.05 Protective factors for diabetes: Nationality: Shwam: OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.36–0.57; Egypt/North Africa: OR = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.55–0.9; Sudan/East Africa: OR = 0.6, 95% CI: 0.45–0.8 Yusufali et al. (2015) [42 ] Mean 10-year Framingham CVD Risk Score: 5.3 (7.1) (male: 5.5 (7.3); female: 4.7 (6.0)) (Emirati: 7.2) Diabetes: 31.6% (Emirati: 46.2%; other Arabs: 29.3%; South Asians: 31.7%; other Asians: 22.1%; others: 23.2%) Hypertension: 30.6% (Emirati: 30.2%; other Arabs: 22.9%; South Asians: 31.5%; other Asians: 39%; others: 24.2%) Dyslipidemia: 68.5% (Emirati: 666.2%; other Arabs: 69.3%; South Asians: 71%; other Asians: 53.2%; others: 47.9%) Overweight: 41.9% (Emirati: 34.3%; other Arabs: 41.9%; South Asians: 43.1%; other Asians: 40.4%; others: 35.8%) Obesity: 19.6% (Emirati: 46.6%; other Arabs: 40.9%; South Asians: 14.1%; other Asians: 16%; others: 25.5%) Central obesity: 24% (Emirati: 55.8%; other Arabs: 43.5%; South Asians: 18.5%; other Asians: 27.9%; others: 33%) Predictors of risk factors: Male gender (OR: 3.441; 95% CI: 2.930 to 4.042) Protective factor: Age (per 10 years) (OR: 0.834; 95% CI: 0.784 to 0.886) Baynouna et al. (2008) [43 ] Diabetes: 23.3% (self-reported: 19.5%; additionally measured: 3.8%) (female: 18.4%; male: 10.4%) Prehypertension: 7.3% Hypertension: 20.8% (self-reported: 20%; additionally measured: 0.8%) (female: 19.8%; male: 21.8%); Obesity: 37.3% (female: 46.5%; male: 28.3%) Central obesity: 39% (female: 59.9%; male: 37.2%) Metabolic syndrome: 22.7% (female: 24.2%; male: 21.3%) Dyslipidemia: 58.9% (female: 53.9%; male: 64%) Not assessed Hajat and Harrison (2010) [44 ] Overweight: 32% Obesity: 35% Central obesity: 57% Either prediabetes or diabetes: 44% Framingham CVD Risk Score: >10%: male: 20.32%; female: 9.51%; overall: 14.22% >20%: male: 7.59%; female: 2.56%; overall: 4.75% Not assessed Hajat et al. (2012) [20 ] Obesity: crude: 35.4% (female: 38.3%; male: 31.6%); ASR: 41.1% (40.7; 41.5) Morbid obesity: 5% (female: 6%; male: 4%) Overweight: crude: 31.9% (female: 28.8%; male: 36.1%); ASR: 34% (33.6; 34.4) Central obesity: crude: 54.8% (female: 51.9%; male: 58.6%); ASR: 62.4% (61.9; 62.8) Dyslipidemia: crude: 44.2% (female: 33.9%; male: 57.7%); ASR: 50.7% (50.3; 51.2) Hypertension: crude: 23.1% (female: 20.9%; male: 26%); ASR: 29.2% (28.8; 29.6) Prediabetes: crude: 27.1% (female: 26.5%; male: 27.8%); ASR: 29.5% (29.1; 29.9) Diabetes: crude: 17.6% (female: 17.9%; male: 17.4%); ASR: 24.6% (24.2; 25) (newly diagnosed: 35%; self-reported history: 65%) Not assessed Workers Hossain and Malik (1998) [45 ] IGT: 18% Diabetes: 10% Obesity (defined by BMI): 68%, and obesity (defined by WHR): 31% Elevated blood cholesterol: 74% Predictors of obesity (elevated BMI): Peninsular Arab: aOR: 3.06 (1.44–6.54); Shwam: aOR: 4.14 (1.96–8.75); Egyptian: aOR: 4.64 (1.4–15.21); WHR >1: aOR: 3.31 (1.77–6.18) Predictor of obesity (elevated WHR): BMI >25: aOR: 3.57 (1.89–6.73) Predictor of elevated total cholesterol: age 45–49: aOR: 2.8 (1.47–5.32) Protective factors of abnormal glucose tolerance: Shwam: aOR: 0.37 (0.17–0.78); Egyptian: aOR: 0.31 (0.1–0.96) Protective factors of obesity (elevated WHR): Afro-Arab: aOR: 0.14 (0.03–0.64); European: aOR: 0.15 (0.03–0.72); medium physical activity: aOR: 0.4 (0.19–0.83); heavy physical activity: aOR: 0.27 (0.09–0.8) Newson-Smith (2010) [46 ] Preemployment assessment: Obesity: 16.6% (Emiratis: 31.9%; Pakistanis: 16.6%; Filipinos: 5.9%; Indians: 2.4%) Diabetes: 2.5% (Emiratis: 3.6%; Pakistanis: 0%; Filipinos: 2.9%; Indians: 1.6%) Hypertension: 15.5% (Emiratis: 0%; Pakistanis: 16%; Filipinos: 32.4%; Indians: 28.4%) At periodic health evaluation: Obesity: 8.6% (Emiratis: 29%; Pakistanis: 43%; Filipinos: 8%; Indians: 7%) Diabetes: 11.3% (Emiratis: 0%; Pakistanis: 21.4%; Filipinos: 9.5%; Indians: 11.6%) Hypertension: 37% (Emiratis: 12.5%; Pakistanis: 50%; Filipinos: 47.6%; Indians: 37.3%) Not assessed Incidence Sreedharan et al. (2015) [13 ] Overall incidence in ≥20 years: 4.8/1,000 PY Gender-specific incidence rate: male: 3.3/1,000 PY; female: 6.3/1,000 PY Highest incidence rate for both genders: age group: 55–59 (male: 23.4/1,000 PY; female: 32.4/1,000 PY) ASR in male and female was almost similar until the age of 39 years; then, females ≥40 years showed a higher incidence rate than males