Dubai rewards children’s weight loss with gold…
Dubai is showing its desire to fight obesity, but perhaps not in the best possible way. Indeed, via an operation entitled “ Your Child in GOLD ”, the municipality of Dubai offers remuneration in the form of gold for families who would make their child(ren) lose weight .
The information presented in this article comes directly from the official website ” Your Child in GOLD ” (1) , managed by the municipality of Dubai, and of which we prefer not to indicate the link (you will however find it quickly in the Google search engine for example).
Obesity in the United Arab Emirates
In the United Arab Emirates, and therefore including Dubai (the largest city in the country), obesity is relatively severe. It affects nearly one-third of citizens as defined by the World Health Organization (ie people with a BMI greater than 30).
A similar action had already been carried out last year, during Ramadan. Only it was about adults, not children. Dubai then distributed €568,511 to people who had lost weight. From now on, the municipality is changing its target and targeting the youngest: from 2 to 14 years old.
The “rules” for participating in the event
Any child can participate, provided that he is accompanied by at least one of his parents during registration. The young person must be between 2 and 14 years old to participate.
To win gold (directly in the form of grams of gold), the child must lose at least 2 kilograms at the end of the event. If this figure is reached, then 1 gram of gold is gained (about 30€) per kilogram lost . If the registration is made with the family (ie if the mother or father also accompanies the child with a view to weight loss), then the price rises to 2 grams of gold per kilogram!
Registration took place between July 15, 2014 and July 24, 2014. The end of the program would be scheduled for September 15, 2014 .
A good background, but a bad approach?
Dubai wants to be part of a healthy weight loss process. This is what the city recalls on its website.
The regulation stipulates for example that the parents must commit (through a signature) to respect different health standards as well as the good manners to help his child to reach his goal of healthy weight during the specified period.
In addition, the city will organize various sporting events so that participants can participate in their fight against overweight. Always in an approach of respect for food, the city offers various tips on its website, specifying for example that it is necessary to consume 3 meals a day, to consume fruits, vegetables, etc.
But what will really happen within the families who register for this kind of program, and who will therefore (to different degrees) be in search of gold ? Will the child’s diet be respected?
According to some doctors including Doctor Fawad Khan for example (2) , the approach would not be ideal . This Doctor works in a hospital located in the capital of the country (in Abu Dhabi ). According to him, ” losing 2 kilograms, for a child, is possible over the space of 1 month if there is really an obesity problem “, but this is not the case for the majority of children. Still according to him, the right approach would be “ to encourage parents to make their children eat better ”, rather than to offer “ aggressive ” rewards according to the Doctor, which encourages rapid and harmful weight loss.
Dr. Khan indicates that making children suffer drastic weight loss is not an end in itself if this weight loss leads to other health problems , which inevitably occur with large changes in corpulence in children. Moreover, how can this kind of action be part of the long term? Not to mention the different psychological aspects for the child related to self-esteem and the way others see their own build.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.