The Ministry of Health and Prevention has announced significant milestones in its national "Masar" project, an innovative initiative aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles among school students, combating obesity and enhancing health awareness.

The initiative, part of the country’s transformative national projects, integrates educational programmes focused on healthy eating, physical activity, and weight management to improve the health of future generations.

The project was announced during MoHAP’s participation in Arab Health 2025, the Middle East's largest and most important healthcare event and congress, taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre from January 27 to 31.

Launched in 2022, "Masar" project has expanded rapidly, growing from 15 schools with 12,600 students in its first year to 83 schools and 137,828 students in 2024. The programme now covers schools across various emirates, creating environments that encourage students to embrace healthier lifestyles.

Key achievements

According to the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Survey (KAP Survey 2022-2023), 42% of participating students experienced weight loss, alongside improvements in health behaviours.

Over 50% achieved the recommended hours of sleep, more than 20% increased their intake of fruits and vegetables, and 10% reduced fast food and sugary drink consumption. The programme also recorded higher rates of physical activity and reduced screen time among students.

Six strategic pillars

The "Masar" initiative operates across six strategic pillars: healthy eating, physical activity, school health education, weight management, health awareness, and a reward system to encourage positive behaviors. It also prioritizes capacity building for school staff, with over 2,000 teachers trained in 2024 to support student health and serve as health mentors.

Implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, local education authorities such as the Sharjah Private Education Authority and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai, and private sector partners, the project represents a national effort to enhance the health and well-being of the UAE's youth.

The health of generations: A sustainable future

H.E. Dr Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Public Health Sector, emphasized that the national transformative project "Masar" follows the wise leadership's directives, which prioritizes the health of children and adolescents within the framework of developmental policies.

Al Rand stated that investing in the health of young people lays a solid foundation for the future of the nation. Therefore, the ministry is committed to implementing the best global practices in school health care to enhance the health of students in both public and private schools.

“We strictly adhere to the World Health Organization and UNICEF standards and support all efforts aimed at realizing sustainable development goals while contributing to the UAE Centennial 2071 vision. We want to prepare generations that enjoy excellent health and are ready to contribute to building a sustainable future,” Al Rand added.

His Excellency also noted that the project supports the ministry's strategy designed to manage preventive and community health programmes, enhance the quality of life nationwide, and improve public health, with particular attention paid to students and parents.

He further pointed out that the project, which follows best practices and the World Health Organization’s guidelines, is being implemented in collaboration with strategic partners as part of a national, multi-sectoral plan to promote healthy lifestyles in schools and combat childhood obesity.

“The ministry is committed to constantly providing valuable information and resources to create a safe and healthy school environment, working with educational institutions to support mental well-being and improve students' academic performance,” Al Rand added.

Meanwhile, Nouf Khamis Al Ali, Director of the Health Promotion Department at MoHAP, stressed the importance of the collaborative efforts of health, educational, and social entities across the UAE to improve the well-being of school students. In addition to reducing non-communicable diseases and promoting physical activity, we will spare no effort to encourage healthy eating habits, regulate sleep patterns, manage screen time, and boost academic performance, in line with the nation’s vision of building a healthy and sustainable society.

Al Ali also noted that national initiatives such as the National Obesity Control Programme and the National Immunisation Programme continue to play a fundamental role in enhancing the health and well-being of future generations.