Second Family Health Festival to Roll Out

Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, representatives of the forthcoming Family Health Festival, which is scheduled to be unveiled yet again during the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF 2010), have announced that the Ministry of Health will accord its unequivocal support to the event this year.

The month-long Family Health Festival program will comprise a series of workshops, edutainment activities, free health check-ups and counseling by medical experts and will run from January 28-February 28, 2010.”Public awareness is vital for promoting good health and the inaugural Family Health Festival proved to be a very fruitful exercise in extending information about a host of common, yet dangerous health conditions,” said Naser Al Budoor, director of Ministry’s office, Ministry of Health. “In a scenario where nearly one out of every five individual is obese, it becomes imperative to address the issue urgently. Obesity affects not just physical health, but also the psychological well-being of person,” he added.Obesity and its impact on wellness is the focal topic of this year’s Family Health Festival. Various consequences of the condition, such diabetes, hypertension, depression etc; will be highlighted through individually themed weeks, which will run across select malls participating in DSF 2010. Entertainment tools, including cartoon skits and street plays, will be used to educate shoppers, while individual counseling from health experts and medical checks, such as blood sugar and blood pressure assessments, will provide valuable indicators of the current health standing of those who participate.”Obesity is on the rise, fuelled by inappropriate eating habits coupled with sedentary and stressful lifestyles,” said Dr. Prem Jagyasi, MD and CEO, ExHealth, the organization behind the Family Health Festival.”The condition of being excessively overweight leads to unhealthiness in individuals, which ultimately affects the overall well-being of a nation. The Family Health Festival has been designed to bring together residents, authorities, healthcare providers and responsible corporate organizations to address this pressing health issue and help usher in a new era of national prosperity,” he added.A month-long weight loss contest, titled ‘Cut That Fat’ will be the highlight of this year’s campaign. A panel of weight-loss experts will guide fifteen selected individuals through a specially designed program to help them lose their extra kilos and gain a better overall physique.