Junk food can be as addictive as alcohol, tobacco or gambling, according to a 36-country study published in the British Medical Journal, with researchers from the US, Brazil and Spain even suggesting some “ultra-processed” foods should be taxed and labelled to reflect this.
Ultra-processed refers to foods that replace traditional ingredients with cheap, sometimes entirely synthetic substitutes.
Their analysis of international data suggests that 14 per cent of adults and 12 per cent of children are addicted to such types of food, causing them to dangerously overeat.
‘I ate 7,000 calories a day and was never full’
Former Muay Thai fighter Jeffrey Zorn can identify. Zorn, 39, became addicted to ultra-processed foods while training in a remote Thai village and eating food bought primarily from a petrol station.
On a typical day, the Dubai resident would devour 7,000 calories in Gatorade, ice cream, sweets, canned coffee and processed carbs, due to a lack of options in the area.
Despite training for up to six hours a day, Zorn’s digestive and immune system was “crushed”, resulting in an autoimmune condition called weeping eczema, typically caused by an inadequate diet and lifestyle.
Observable signs of addiction include frequent cravings and a loss of control over consumption patterns
Dr Lina Shibib,
clinical nutritionist, Medcare Hospitals and Medical Centres
“It’s a type of addiction that forms when your body is craving nutrition,” says Zorn. “This combination of processed foods does not exist in nature, which is why you can eat a bucket of popcorn and feel sick before you ever feel full.
“You never really feel satiated when you’re in this evolutionary state where your nutrition needs are not being met and you're constantly ravenous.”
The turning point came when Zorn returned to Dubai and was diagnosed with the painful skin condition. He then decided to go cold turkey to purge his system of all unnatural substances. “I used to smoke and giving up ultra-processed foods was just as difficult as giving up smoking,” says Zorn. “You must eat to survive so food addictions are probably the most difficult to overcome.
“I would walk up and down the stairs 20 times a day to get one square of dark chocolate. I definitely felt that struggle.”
Inspired by his own diet overall, Zorn founded Nourish Dubai in 2015, a meal subscription plan that uses purely natural ingredients.
“Getting through that initial blood sugar crash is difficult, but eventually that physical dependency wanes and you become much more rational,” he says. “I’d encourage everyone to educate themselves about what they’re putting in their body.”
'Food has become ... not food'
Dubai clinical nutritionist Dr Lina Shibib, says the typical UAE diet could be causing long-lasting health damage. “The prevalence of ultra-processed foods in the UAE diet exhibits variability, but a common trend involves elevated consumption levels,” says Dr Shibib, of Medcare Hospitals and Medical Centres.
“This heightened intake raises legitimate concerns about associated health risks, contributing to the growing rates of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases observed within the population.”
Getting through that initial blood sugar crash is difficult but eventually that physical dependency wanes
Jeffrey Zorn,
founder, Nourish Dubai
Industrially processed alternatives are designed and marketed to be addictive, according to Chris van Tulleken, an infectious diseases doctor at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London.
Writing in his number one Sunday Times bestseller, Ultra-Processed People, he says: “Over the last 150 years, food has become … not food.
“We’ve started eating substances constructed from novel molecules and using processes never previously encountered in our evolutionary history.”
These include the obvious suspects such as soft drinks, chocolate, potato crisps and similar junk, but also less obvious staples such as low-fat margarines, vitamin-fortified cereals, packaged soups and other food that has long been advocated as healthy.
Not only are these substances addictive, but they also lack any nutritional sustenance, meaning we’re never going to feel full, no matter how many bags of crisps we scoff – and how many harmful additives we consume in the process.
The mental toll
As well as affecting the body, ultra-processed foods also have a marked effect on the brain, which makes addictions harder to overcome. “The impact of ultra-processed foods on the brain is notable, particularly concerning the activation of reward pathways that may lead to addictive behaviours,” says Dr Shibib.
“Their formulation, often rich in sugar, salt and fat, can activate reward centres in the brain, leading to persistent cravings and overconsumption.
“Observable signs of addiction may manifest in behaviours such as frequent cravings, a loss of control over consumption patterns and a consistent preference for these foods over more nutritious alternatives.”
Bin the biscuits, scrap the cereal
Healthcare expert and lawyer Joy Stephenson-Laws has dedicated her career to unveiling the hidden dangers in commonly consumed packaged products.
The president and founder of US-based Proactive Health Labs launched the non-profit organisation to educate people about their health and the dangers of food addiction.
“There are a variety of indications that someone may be addicted, including not being able to stop or limit the amount consumed despite a desire to do so,” she says.
Work with a competent healthcare practitioner to identify ways to eliminate these foods from the diet
Joy Stephenson-Laws,
founder, Proactive Health Labs
“They may also start hoarding food or keeping a ‘secret stash’ so that it is always available. Often, they have emotional or physical withdrawal symptoms if consumption of the food is abruptly stopped or reduced.”
Despite sudden abstinence being favoured by some, both Stephenson-Laws and Dr Shibib encourage a more measured approach to cutting out ultra-processed foods.
“Someone who is addicted to these foods, or thinks they may be, should work with a competent healthcare practitioner to identify ways to eliminate these foods from their diet and develop a nutritious eating plan,” says Stephenson-Laws.
“I would also encourage making other healthier lifestyle changes such as getting enough sleep and exercise, drinking enough water, reducing stress and limiting alcohol consumption.”
For Dr Shibib, the process should be progressive, and supported by societal change. “Take gradual steps to reduce ultra-processed food intake, shift focus towards whole, nutrient-dense foods, cultivate cooking skills for preparing fresh meals, seek support from healthcare professionals or support groups and establish healthier habits like regular physical activity,” she says.
“Breaking the cycle necessitates a comprehensive approach, combining individual efforts with societal changes aimed at fostering healthier food environments.”
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Gender equality in the workplace still 200 years away
It will take centuries to achieve gender parity in workplaces around the globe, according to a December report from the World Economic Forum.
The WEF study said there had been some improvements in wage equality in 2018 compared to 2017, when the global gender gap widened for the first time in a decade.
But it warned that these were offset by declining representation of women in politics, coupled with greater inequality in their access to health and education.
At current rates, the global gender gap across a range of areas will not close for another 108 years, while it is expected to take 202 years to close the workplace gap, WEF found.
The Geneva-based organisation's annual report tracked disparities between the sexes in 149 countries across four areas: education, health, economic opportunity and political empowerment.
After years of advances in education, health and political representation, women registered setbacks in all three areas this year, WEF said.
Only in the area of economic opportunity did the gender gap narrow somewhat, although there is not much to celebrate, with the global wage gap narrowing to nearly 51 per cent.
And the number of women in leadership roles has risen to 34 per cent globally, WEF said.
At the same time, the report showed there are now proportionately fewer women than men participating in the workforce, suggesting that automation is having a disproportionate impact on jobs traditionally performed by women.
And women are significantly under-represented in growing areas of employment that require science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills, WEF said.
* Agence France Presse
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The%20Hunger%20Games%3A%20The%20Ballad%20of%20Songbirds%20%26%20Snakes
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Francis%20Lawrence%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3ERachel%20Zegler%2C%20Peter%20Dinklage%2C%20Viola%20Davis%2C%20Tom%20Blyth%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Brief scoreline:
Wolves 3
Neves 28', Doherty 37', Jota 45' 2
Arsenal 1
Papastathopoulos 80'
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The Internet
Hive Mind
four stars
MATCH INFO
Qalandars 109-3 (10ovs)
Salt 30, Malan 24, Trego 23, Jayasuriya 2-14
Bangla Tigers (9.4ovs)
Fletcher 52, Rossouw 31
Bangla Tigers win by six wickets
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
The Programme
Saturday, October 26: ‘The Time That Remains’ (2009) by Elia Suleiman
Saturday, November 2: ‘Beginners’ (2010) by Mike Mills
Saturday, November 16: ‘Finding Vivian Maier’ (2013) by John Maloof and Charlie Siskel
Tuesday, November 26: ‘All the President’s Men’ (1976) by Alan J Pakula
Saturday, December 7: ‘Timbuktu’ (2014) by Abderrahmane Sissako
Saturday, December 21: ‘Rams’ (2015) by Grimur Hakonarson
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes 58-10 Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers 5-39 Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons 16-56 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Planes grounded by coronavirus
British Airways: Cancels all direct flights to and from mainland China
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific: Cutting capacity to/from mainland China by 50 per cent from Jan. 30
Chicago-based United Airlines: Reducing flights to Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong
Ai Seoul: Suspended all flights to China
Finnair: Suspending flights to Nanjing and Beijing Daxing until the end of March
Indonesia's Lion Air: Suspending all flights to China from February
South Korea's Asiana Airlines, Jeju Air and Jin Air: Suspend all flights
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group F
Manchester City v Hoffenheim, midnight (Wednesday, UAE)
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
