EatWell Assist: A feasibility study targeting expectant parents to improve diet and nutrition and prevent family obesity in Ras Al Khaimah
Obesity is on the rise globally and becoming a significant cause for concern in the United Arab Emirates, which has some of the highest obesity rates in the world. Unhealthy eating and lack of exercise can place children at increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and strokes in adulthood.
Diet is one of the most easily modifiable lifestyle factors, and it is well recognized that eating nutritious, minimally processed foods reduces chronic disease risk and promotes psychological well-being. Intergenerational effects of poor diet on infants’ health are directly perpetuated by obesity and diabetes in pregnant women and indirectly perpetuated via feeding, parenting, and parental eating behaviors that contribute to the development of unhealthy diets in infants and children.
This presentation will address results from a pilot study of the EatWell Assist program, which was designed to understand current diet and eating habits of expectant parents and determine whether educational workshops, resources, and access to digital information would lead to positive behavior changes and healthier family eating patterns. The study involved working with parents and collecting data at three local hospitals in Ras Al Khaimah.
Mary Steen led the EatWell Assist pilot and is a Professor of Midwifery at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Division of Health Sciences, University of South Australia and chairs the Mothers, Babies and Families Research Group. She is involved with a range of research and scholarly activities nationally and internationally that focus on improving the care and services for women, babies, and their families.
Please RSVP to 07 233 8060 or events@alqasimifoundation.rak.ae with your name, phone, e-mail, and total number of guests. For more information, please visit www.alqasimifoundation.com
| November 13, 2016 | November 13, 2016 | 5 P.M. to 7 P.M. |