Contrary to popular belief, when it comes to our general state of health, genetics contributes a smaller percentage than we think. According to Kate, our contemporary lifestyles, generally, fall into an “Eat/Sleep/Work/Repeat” cycle; and one that happens indoors 90% of the time. The only differences would be how our free time is spent. In the UAE, this percentage is probably higher, owing to the extreme weather conditions that force citizens to seek airconditioned settings at every possible activity. In the trade-off for comfort, these urban lifestyles tend to create several health-related problems.
According to a World Health Organization report, on the UAE, high rates of obesity and other related diseases should act as a wake-up call for everyone living in the country. The report states that “Due to increasingly sedentary lifestyles, some of the highest incidences of noncommunicable diseases in the world are found in the country.” The statistics speak for themselves: 66% of men and 60% of women are obese in the UAE, and 15% of the population in the UAE has diabetes. These high rates, in Middle Eastern countries, are contributing to a host of chronic diseases that are life-threatening and costly.
In response to alarming issues such as these, WELL aims to protect people by improving building standards in terms of health, well-being and productivity.