EN
Home/Guides/Weight and health
Guide 1 of 9 · Stage: Understand

Do I have obesity? Weight and health in the UAE

What your BMI and waist mean under the guidance UAE health authorities use, why the numbers matter earlier for people of Asian origin, and which health problems they point to.

GLP Guidebook teamUpdated 12 Oct 202610 min read24 sourcesWritten from published sources
The short answer

UAE health authorities use the WHO's global numbers: a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is overweight and 30 or more is obesity. Abu Dhabi's obesity standard adds that people of Asian origin start to face health risks at a lower BMI, from above 23. Whatever your background, try to keep your waist under half your height.

Key facts

Overweight
BMI 25 to 29.9 (WHO)1,2
Obesity
BMI 30 or more (WHO)1,2
Asian origin
Risk starts lower, above a BMI of 23. A waist over 90 cm (35.4 in) in men or 80 cm (31.5 in) in women counts as high.1,3
Waist-to-height ratio
0.5 to 0.59 means more fat around the middle; 0.6 or more is high1
How common
22.4 in 100 adults in the UAE live with obesity (national survey, 2024–25)4
What 5–10% loss does
Lowers diabetes risk and improves blood sugar, blood pressure and liver fat5,6,7
What it doesn't decide
Whether you need a medicine. Rules for weight-loss medicines use their own thresholds.1,3
On this page
  1. Which numbers do UAE doctors use?
  2. How do I check my BMI and waist?
  3. When is BMI misleading?
  4. What are "clinical" and "pre-clinical" obesity?
  5. Which health problems are linked to extra weight?
  6. What does losing 5–10% of your weight do?
  7. Is obesity my fault?
  8. Questions people ask

Which numbers do UAE doctors use?

The UAE's health authorities use the WHO's global BMI cut-offs. Their guidance also says people of Asian origin, including South Asians, face health risks at lower numbers.1,3,8

BMI (body mass index) is your weight compared with your height. The WHO's global cut-offs call a BMI of 25 overweight and 30 obesity.2 In 2004, a WHO expert group found that many Asian people already face high diabetes and heart risk below 25.9

The UAE has more than one health authority. The Department of Health in Abu Dhabi (DoH) and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) each publish their own obesity guidance:

  • Abu Dhabi (DoH, 2025): uses BMI with waist and waist-to-height ratio. It notes that "some ethnic groups such as those of Asian origin" start to face risk from a BMI above 23.1
  • Dubai (DHA, 2024): says people from South Asia carry more total and belly fat. For Asian adults, it counts a waist over 80 cm (31.5 in) in women and over 90 cm (35.4 in) in men as abnormal.3
  • Dubai's quality measures (2024): say BMI cut-offs vary between ethnic groups, but use the WHO lines of 25 and 30.8
What it meansWHO cut-offs (used in the UAE)Extra note for people of Asian origin
Healthy weightBMI 18.5 to 24.92Risk can start above 231
OverweightBMI 25 to 29.92Same lines, but risk is already raised1,3
ObesityBMI 30 or more2Same line in UAE rules8
WaistWaist-to-height under 0.5 is the healthy side1Over 90 cm (35.4 in) in men, over 80 cm (31.5 in) in women3

The evidence behind it. A study of 1.5 million people in England looked at diabetes risk. South Asian people at a BMI of about 24 had the same risk as white people at a BMI of 30.10

Why websites disagree. Guidelines in India count obesity from a BMI of 25 for people living there.11 The UK's NHS uses 27.5 for people of South Asian and some other backgrounds.12 UAE rules, including the BMI lines for weight-loss medicines, use the WHO's 25 and 30.1,8 They all agree that risk starts earlier for many people of Asian heritage. If your family is from South Asia, the India version of this guide explains the lower Indian cut-offs. They describe risk; they are not the rules UAE doctors use to prescribe.

How do I check my BMI and waist?

Put your numbers in below. You need scales, a tape measure and your height. Nothing you type leaves your device.

I am a
cm
kg
cm

Your BMI and waist check appear here as you type. How to measure your waist

For adults 18 and over. It's a starting point, not a diagnosis: see when BMI is misleading. WHO BMI bands2, Abu Dhabi waist-to-height bands1, Dubai waist cut-offs for Asian adults3. Open the full checker (opens in a new tab) for teens, your healthy weight range and a summary to print.

Measuring your waist. The WHO method:13

  • Stand straight, feet together, with your belly relaxed.
  • Find the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hip bone. Wrap a tape that doesn't stretch around your waist halfway between the two, keeping it level.
  • Breathe out naturally, then read the tape. Don't pull your stomach in.

Waist-to-height ratio. Divide your waist by your height, using the same units for both: both in cm, or both in inches. Abu Dhabi's standard calls 0.5 to 0.59 "increased central adiposity" (more fat around the middle) and 0.6 or more "high". It uses this measure for adults with a BMI of 25 to 35.1 Put simply: keep your waist under half your height.

Work it out by hand

BMI is your weight in kg divided by your height in metres, squared.14 Worked example. Sam is 170 cm (5 ft 7 in, or 1.70 m) tall and weighs 84 kg (185 lb).

  • 1.70 × 1.70 = 2.89
  • 84 ÷ 2.89 = a BMI of about 29.1
  • By the WHO cut-offs used in the UAE, that is overweight.2 If Sam's family is of Asian origin, the risk is already higher than the label suggests.1
  • Sam's waist is 96 cm (37.8 in). 96 ÷ 170 = 0.56, which Abu Dhabi's standard calls increased central fat (0.5 to 0.59).1 For an Asian man, it is also over the 90 cm (35.4 in) line in Dubai's guideline.3
What to do with your result. Write down your BMI, waist and waist-to-height numbers and take them to a doctor. BMI alone shouldn't be used to judge your health. A doctor can check whether extra fat is already affecting your body.15 An HbA1c blood test shows your average blood sugar over the last 2 to 3 months, so ask whether you need one.16 Guide 6 covers seeing a doctor in the UAE, and our doctor visit checklist (opens in a new tab) helps you prepare.

When is BMI misleading?

BMI can't tell fat from muscle, and it doesn't show where fat sits. So it's a starting point, not a diagnosis.14,15

  • Muscular people can get an "overweight" BMI without much body fat.17
  • Older adults often lose muscle with age.18 BMI doesn't separate muscle from fat, so it can hide extra fat.14
  • Pregnancy: adult BMI charts don't apply.17
  • Children and teens (under 18): adult cut-offs don't apply.17 A child's BMI naturally rises and falls as they grow, so it is compared with other children of the same age and sex on a growth chart.14 A paediatrician can plot your child's numbers.
  • A normal BMI with a large waist: some people, especially of South Asian origin, carry extra fat around the middle at a normal weight. That is why the waist matters.3,1

The 2025 Lancet Commission (a panel organised by the medical journal The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology) says BMI alone shouldn't be used to judge one person's health. It says to confirm extra fat with a second measure, like waist size.15

What are "clinical" and "pre-clinical" obesity?

They separate extra fat that is already harming your body from extra fat that isn't yet. The question is how your body is working, not just your weight.15

In January 2025, the Lancet Commission, a group of 58 experts, published a new definition. It has been endorsed by 76 organisations.15

  • Pre-clinical obesity: extra body fat, but your organs still work normally. Your risk of future illness is higher.15
  • Clinical obesity: extra fat is already affecting how your body works. Examples include breathlessness, or real limits on daily tasks like bathing or dressing.15

Abu Dhabi's standard uses a similar idea. It asks doctors to stage obesity by its effect on health, using a scale called the Edmonton Obesity Staging System, not by weight alone.1

1Measure your BMI and waist
2Is there extra body fat? A high BMI plus a second measure, such as waist-to-height ratio, confirms it.
3Is the extra fat already affecting how your organs work, or limiting daily life?
NoPre-clinical obesityThe Commission advises health advice, regular check-ups and steps to lower the risk of future illness.
YesClinical obesityThe Commission advises timely treatment, chosen with a doctor after a full check-up.

Simplified from the 2025 Lancet Commission.15 This is an international definition. UAE rules for weight-loss medicines still use BMI lines, set out below.1,3

These numbers describe your health risk. They don't decide whether you need a medicine. Weight-loss medicines have their own rules:
  • Medicine labels (for example, Wegovy's EU label) start at a BMI of 30, or 27 with a weight-related condition.19
  • Dubai's guideline uses the same lines, after a lifestyle programme hasn't brought at least 5% weight loss in 3 to 6 months.3
  • Abu Dhabi's standard is stricter: a BMI of 30 or more with at least one weight-related condition, or over 40.1
Treatment can mean many things, from food and activity changes to medicines or surgery. See your options and when a GLP-1 may or may not fit. You can also try our self-check: Could it be an option for me? (opens in a new tab)

Which health problems are linked to extra weight?

Extra body fat, especially around the belly, is linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, fatty liver, PCOS, sleep apnoea and joint pain.1,2

The Ministry of Health and Prevention's National Health and Nutrition Survey 2024–2025 covered 20,000 households across the UAE. It found:4

22.4%of adults living with obesity4
16.1%of children aged 6 to 17 living with obesity4
25.9%of adults with high blood pressure4
54.2%of adults with high cholesterol4

The survey also found adult obesity had fallen by 14.8% over 15 years.4

The conditions, one by one

  • Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. An HbA1c blood test shows your average blood sugar over the last 2 to 3 months. Below 5.7% is normal, 5.7–6.4% is prediabetes, and 6.5% or more is diabetes.16
  • High blood pressure and high cholesterol. Both are common in the UAE, as the survey above shows, and both raise the risk of heart disease.4,2
  • Fatty liver (MASLD). This is fat building up in the liver. Its new name is metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.20 It can improve with weight loss.7
  • PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), sleep apnoea and joint pain. Abu Dhabi lists these among the weight-related conditions doctors look for, alongside heart disease, severe asthma and severe urinary incontinence.1,21 Sleep apnoea means breathing stops and starts during sleep.

What does losing 5–10% of your weight do?

For many people, losing 5–10% of body weight brings real health gains. For someone who weighs 90 kg (198 lb), that is about 4.5 to 9 kg (10 to 20 lb).6

These results come from food and activity programmes, not medicines.5,6,7,22

  • Less diabetes. In the US Diabetes Prevention Program, the lifestyle group aimed to lose at least 7% of their weight. Their diabetes rate was 4.8 per 100 people a year, against 11.0 on dummy pills (pills with no medicine in them), a 58% drop.5
  • Every kilo counts. In the same trial, each kg (about 2 lb) lost cut diabetes risk by 16%.23
  • It works in South Asians too. The Indian Diabetes Prevention Programme studied 531 people with high sugar after meals. Over 3 years, 39% in the lifestyle group got diabetes, against 55% in the comparison group.22
  • Better sugar and blood pressure. One study looked at people with type 2 diabetes. Those who lost 5–10% of their weight had about 3.5 times the odds of their HbA1c falling by half a percentage point or more (for example, from 7.5% to 7.0%), compared with people whose weight stayed the same. Blood pressure and blood fats improved too.6
  • Less liver damage. One study followed 293 people with liver inflammation caused by fat. Of those who lost 5% or more, 58% saw it clear. Among those losing 10% or more, 90% did.7

Bigger weight losses generally brought bigger gains in these studies.6,7

Is obesity my fault?

No. Obesity is a long-term medical condition with many causes. It is not a lack of willpower.2,15

The WHO calls obesity a chronic disease. It comes from genes, brain signals, eating habits, access to healthy food, marketing and your surroundings.2 The Lancet Commission says blaming individuals isn't supported by the evidence.15

In 2020, experts from many countries signed a joint statement against weight stigma. They found it causes physical and mental harm.24 People who face it are also less likely to get proper care.24

Language is changing too. The new name for fatty liver dropped "fatty", which most experts surveyed found stigmatising.20

Questions people ask

My BMI is 28. Do I have obesity?

By the WHO cut-offs used in the UAE, 28 is overweight, not obesity.2 If your family is of Asian origin, your health risk at 28 is already higher.1 Check your waist-to-height ratio too.

My BMI is normal, but my waist is large. Should I worry?

It's worth checking with a doctor. A waist-to-height ratio of 0.5 or more means more fat around the middle.1 For Asian adults, Dubai's guideline counts a waist over 90 cm (35.4 in) in men or 80 cm (31.5 in) in women as abnormal.3

I'm from India. Should I use the Indian BMI cut-offs?

They are a fair guide to your risk: Indian guidelines count obesity from 25.11 But UAE doctors and insurers use the WHO lines of 25 and 30 when deciding on treatment.1,8 See which numbers UAE doctors use.

Which blood test shows my diabetes risk?

HbA1c, which shows your average blood sugar over the last 2 to 3 months. 5.7% to 6.4% is prediabetes and 6.5% or more is diabetes.16 The ranges are under linked health problems.

Can I use these numbers for my child?

No. Adult cut-offs are for people aged 18 and over; children's BMI is compared on growth charts for their age and sex.17,14 See when BMI is misleading.

Does a high BMI mean I need a GLP-1 medicine?

No. BMI and waist describe risk. Medicines have their own label rules, and Abu Dhabi's rules are stricter still.19,1 Guide 3 and Guide 4 cover your options and when a medicine may or may not fit.

Before you move on

  • UAE authorities use the WHO lines: BMI 25 is overweight and 30 is obesity.
  • For people of Asian origin, risk starts lower, from a BMI above 23.
  • Keep your waist under half your height.
  • Clinical obesity means extra fat is already affecting your body.
  • Losing 5–10% of your weight can bring real health gains.
  • These numbers describe risk. They don't decide whether you need a medicine.
Your optionsShould I consider a GLP-1?Self-check quiz
Was this guide easy to understand?

Sources

  1. Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Standard for Non-Surgical Management of Obesity, DOH/ST/HPS/Non-Surgical-MO/V1/2025, February 2025 (BMI and waist-to-height bands; "Some ethnic groups such as those of Asian origin start to incur risk, even in this low range (i.e., BMI >23 kg/m2)"; GLP-1 starting criteria; weight-related conditions; Edmonton Obesity Staging System). Checked 12 October 2026. doh.gov.ae
  2. World Health Organization. Obesity and overweight (fact sheet). 8 December 2025. who.int
  3. Dubai Health Authority. Clinical Guidelines for Virtual Management of Obesity, DHA/HRS/HPSD/CG-53, issue 2, effective 21 April 2024 ("Indians from South Asia have more total fat and visceral fat"; "In Asian females, waist circumference >80 cm (31.5 inches) and in Asian males a value >90 cm (35.4 inches) are considered abnormal"; drug therapy at BMI >30, or 27 to 29.9 with comorbidities). Checked 12 October 2026. PDF
  4. Gulf News. "UAE residents smoke less, embrace more active lifestyles: MOHAP national health survey" (National Health and Nutrition Survey 2024–2025: adult obesity 22.4%, child obesity 16.1%, high blood pressure 25.9%, high cholesterol 54.2%, obesity down 14.8% over 15 years; 20,000 households). 6 January 2026. gulfnews.com
  5. Knowler WC et al.; Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin. N Engl J Med 2002;346:393–403. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa012512
  6. Wing RR et al.; Look AHEAD Research Group. Benefits of modest weight loss in improving cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2011;34:1481–6. doi:10.2337/dc10-2415
  7. Vilar-Gomez E et al. Weight loss through lifestyle modification significantly reduces features of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Gastroenterology 2015;149:367–78. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2015.04.005
  8. Dubai Health Authority. Ejada KPIs and Recommendations: Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome, issued 3 September 2024 ("The BMI cut-offs vary in individuals of different ethnicities"; measures use BMI ≥25 and ≥30). Checked 12 October 2026. PDF
  9. WHO Expert Consultation. Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet 2004;363:157–63. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(03)15268-3
  10. Caleyachetty R et al. Ethnicity-specific BMI cutoffs for obesity based on type 2 diabetes risk in England: a population-based cohort study. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2021;9:419–26. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(21)00088-7
  11. Misra A et al. Consensus statement for diagnosis of obesity, abdominal obesity and the metabolic syndrome for Asian Indians. J Assoc Physicians India 2009;57:163–70 (Indian cut-offs, for people living in India). PMID 19582986
  12. NHS (UK). Obesity. Page last reviewed 29 April 2026. nhs.uk
  13. World Health Organization. Waist circumference and waist–hip ratio: report of a WHO expert consultation, Geneva, 8–11 December 2008 (measurement at the midpoint between the lower rib and the top of the hip bone). who.int
  14. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About body mass index (BMI). Updated 16 December 2025. cdc.gov
  15. Rubino F et al. Definition and diagnostic criteria of clinical obesity (Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology Commission). Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2025;13:221–62. The Commission had 58 members; 56 are named as authors. Declared interests: most of the 56 authors declare payments from Novo Nordisk, and many also from Eli Lilly (paper's own declaration). doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(24)00316-4
  16. American Diabetes Association. Diagnosis (A1C and fasting glucose ranges). diabetes.org
  17. NHS (UK). BMI calculator for adults: who it is not suitable for. nhs.uk
  18. Batsis JA, Villareal DT. Sarcopenic obesity in older adults: aetiology, epidemiology and treatment strategies. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2018;14:513–37. doi:10.1038/s41574-018-0062-9
  19. European Medicines Agency. Wegovy (semaglutide), product information (summary of product characteristics), section 4.1. PDF
  20. Rinella ME et al. A multisociety Delphi consensus statement on new fatty liver disease nomenclature. Hepatology 2023. Declared interests: 21 of 53 authors declare consulting, advisory or grant ties to Novo Nordisk and 5 to Eli Lilly (paper's own declaration). doi:10.1097/HEP.0000000000000520
  21. Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Thiqa reimbursement policy for obesity medications, DoH/Policy/TRP-OMM/HPS/V1/2025, effective 11 June 2025 (list of obesity-related complications, including severe asthma, disabling arthropathy, NAFLD/NASH, severe obstructive sleep apnoea, PCOS with infertility and severe urinary incontinence). Checked 12 October 2026. doh.gov.ae
  22. Ramachandran A et al. The Indian Diabetes Prevention Programme shows that lifestyle modification and metformin prevent type 2 diabetes in Asian Indian subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IDPP-1). Diabetologia 2006;49:289–97. doi:10.1007/s00125-005-0097-z
  23. Hamman RF et al. Effect of weight loss with lifestyle intervention on risk of diabetes. Diabetes Care 2006;29:2102–7. doi:10.2337/dc06-0560
  24. Rubino F et al. Joint international consensus statement for ending stigma of obesity. Nat Med 2020;26:485–97. Declared interests: 15 of 36 authors declare ties to Novo Nordisk and 2 to Eli Lilly; Novo Nordisk was one of the sponsors of the meeting's travel costs (paper's own declaration). doi:10.1038/s41591-020-0803-x

Last checked 12 Oct 2026 · Next review due Jan 2027 · Report an error

How this guide was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above: guidance from the UAE's health authorities, international guidelines, national surveys and published trials. It's general information, not medical advice. Talk to a qualified doctor before starting, stopping or changing any treatment. In a medical emergency, call 998 for an ambulance, or 999. How we write