ABU DHABI// For the next three months, more than 50 government schools in the capital will be monitoring their pupils' health, lunch boxes and physical activity, in an attempt to tackle obesity and malnutrition among the nation's schoolchildren.
The Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) and Health Authority Abu Dhabi (Haad) will rate schools according to how much they do to promote their pupils' health.
Last year Seha, Abu Dhabi's health services company, screened 25,778 male and female state school pupils in Grades 1, 5 and 9.
It found that almost a third - 29 per cent -were either overweight or obese and 13 per cent were underweight. Just 58 per cent had a normal weight for their height.
"We need to encourage schools to develop their own health programmes and concentrate on eight elements, including awareness of the community and services to enhance children's wellbeing," said Amer Al Kindi Al Sayari, the health manager at Adec. "Principals will decide what are the most pressing health issues at their schools and develop their action plan accordingly."
Schools that join the challenge will be given a checklist to evaluate their own safety and health standards. In May, they will be judged on their initiatives to promote good habits, provide a safe and healthy environment, physical education plan, extracurricular policies, access to healthcare facilities and their outreach to the community.
Officials said pupils' eating habits were correlated to their performance at school. "A child who has breakfast in the morning will have better concentration and is more active," said Shereena Al Mazrouie, the senior officer of family and school health services.
But many parents allow their children to skip important meals which leads to overeating, she said.
The school environment is also crucial. "Schools need to make sure that the classrooms are safe, the drinking water is clean. All this is a part of promoting good health."
Many principals have complained that despite regulations at school, parents continued to send their children in with unhealthy lunches. "They still bring chips and chocolates to school," said Ameena Al Attas, principal of the Al Noor Cycle1 School (Grades 1-5).
"We have many cases of overweight children and at least five or six are diabetic as well."
They try counselling the parents and the nurse holds sessions with the children. "We take away the fatty food if we see them carrying any at school."
Schools have until January 17 to register for the programme and will be given training workshops to help staff implement it.
aahmed@thenational.ae
Review: Tomb Raider
Dir: Roar Uthaug
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Daniel Wu, Walter Goggins
two stars
My Country: A Syrian Memoir
Kassem Eid, Bloomsbury
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 13', Kroos 28')
Barcelona 1 (Mingueza 60')
Red card: Casemiro (Real Madrid)
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
Super Bowl LIII schedule
What Super Bowl LIII
Who is playing New England Patriots v Los Angeles Rams
Where Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, United States
When Sunday (start time is 3.30am on Monday UAE time)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
