WAM Dubai, Mar 10th, 2012 (WAM)--Dr. Mahmoud Fikri, Assistant Undersecretary for Heath Policies at the Ministry of health (MoH), stated that the ministry takes care about the youth health to help younger generations and maintain physical, mental and psychiatric health.

This was stated during the meeting which was organized by the MoH in the attendance of representatives from the competent health and social authorities to review the latest updates on the youth health in the UAE.

Dr. Fikri emphasized that the main objective of the meeting is to recognize the main features of the health of the younger generations, know the latest services and programs that are provided by the competent health authorities.

He indicated that the youth health program is a new suggestion from the World Health Organization (WHO) applied worldwide in order to enhance the health of age group10-19 year, adding that the information technology revolution has made youth's access to incorrect information very easy and as a result, endangering their health especially when parental guidance or advice is absent.

The Assistant Undersecretary for Health Policies said: "There is an urgent need now to establish specialized programs for these categories because of the physical, psychological and behavioral changes they face in this age. Dangerous factors also affect the public health of the younger generations leading to chronic diseases such as diabetes and blood sugar".

The results of the health survey was distributed among the school students in 2010 and in cooperation with the world health organization and Atlanta Disease Control Center show that the obesity among school students in 2010 increased to 39.2 per cent compared to 21.5 per cent in 2005. The study also showed that the obesity rate increased to 15.5 per cent compared to 12.1 per cent in 2005.

"During the political declaration of the United Nations, the member states emphasized the importance of fighting these diseases due to their high financial cost and pressure on health services. Unfortunately, the youth consume lots of calories because of the dissemination of supermarkets that sell lots of desserts and sweets as well as the absence of parental guidance. Such attitudes lead to more overweight and obesity", Dr. Fikri elaborated.

WAM/MN