By Desmond Nleya
DUBAI-A new report has revealed that accelerating obesity intervention efforts in the UAE could unlock massive economic and social benefits, including adding an estimated $51 billion to the country’s GDP by 2031.
The study, titled Beneath the Surface: The Hidden Socioeconomic Impacts of Weight Loss, was released by Whiteshield and commissioned by Eli Lilly and Company. It argues that obesity should no longer be treated purely as a health issue, but as a national economic and social challenge affecting productivity, education, demographics, and long-term development.
According to the findings, early and accelerated obesity intervention could help more than 1.2 million adults in the UAE overcome obesity by 2031. Researchers estimate that wider access to innovative weight-loss treatments reaching 57 per cent of adults living with obesity could cut obesity prevalence by 15 percentage points within the next five years.
The report projects the UAE could save up to $1.5 billion in healthcare costs while boosting GDP growth by an additional 1.5 percentage points above current forecasts. Under this scenario, the country’s economy could grow to nearly $790 billion by 2031.
Researchers also linked improved public health to stronger workforce productivity. Individuals previously living with obesity could gain up to five additional productive working days annually, while average yearly income could rise by approximately $772 per person.
Speaking during a panel discussion, Fadi Fara said obesity research has traditionally focused too narrowly on treatment costs rather than broader societal gains.
“For too long, obesity studies have been limited to a narrow equation comparing the cost of intervention with the cost of treatment,” he said.
“This report reveals, for the first time, the true scale of the benefits generated by weight loss and obesity treatment in the UAE — not only through improved health outcomes, but also through economic and social progress.”
The report also highlighted major demographic and educational impacts. Under the accelerated intervention model, the UAE could record around 75,000 additional births by 2031, including 24,000 Emirati births. More than 17,000 extra people are expected to join the workforce, among them over 9,000 Emirati women.
In education, researchers forecast more than 2,000 additional bachelor’s degree enrolments and a 1.4 per cent reduction in university dropout rates.
Leena Aziz said obesity affects far more than physical health alone.
“Obesity is a complex, chronic disease that impacts not only individual health, but also workforce productivity, economic resilience, and long-term national development,” she said.
The report called for a coordinated national strategy involving government institutions, healthcare providers, insurers, schools, employers, academia, and the food industry. Experts stressed that obesity should be recognised as a chronic disease requiring long-term treatment and management, rather than being viewed solely as a lifestyle issue.
Panel discussions also pointed to the growing role of modern treatments such as GLP-1 medications, which target the brain’s hunger-regulation systems and are reshaping global obesity treatment approaches.
Experts further emphasised the importance of stronger obesity data collection systems, earlier school-based interventions, improved healthcare access, and public awareness campaigns to tackle the issue more effectively across the UAE.
Source: Khaleej Times
