Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Saeed Leads Crowd Of 15,000 In Walk Against Diabetes

ICLDC’s Walk UAE 2010 throws spotlight on healthy living at YAS Marina Circuit

Walk UAE drew the biggest-ever crowd in its fourth year with His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Saeed bin Saif Al Nahyan leading more than 15,000 people on the five kilometre trek around the F1 track at Abu Dhabi’s YAS Marina Circuit, (Friday, November 26).

Walk UAE 2010, part of the award-winning public health awareness campaign under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, is an annual event organised by Imperial College London Diabetes Centre.

This year’s landmark walkathon received the support of Sheikh Tahnoon as the event’s Youth and Community Ambassador, as well Waleed Al Mokarrab, CEO Mubadala, Suhail Mahmood Al Ansari ICLDC’s chairman and head of Mubadala Healthcare, and Daman’s CEO, Dr Michael Bitzer.

The National Health Insurance Company - Daman is onboard as the event’s presenter for the fourth year running.

Sheikh Tahnoon urged the people of the UAE, especially the youth and children to take charge of their lifestyle and stand together against diabetes.

According to Dr Maha Taysir Barakat OBE, Medical & Research Director and Consultant Endocrinologist at Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC), a brisk 30-minutes walk each day is proven to be effective in the management and even prevention, of diabetes.

“Walk UAE has shown that it has the ability to draw public attention to the importance of regular exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle agenda that is good for all the family,” Dr Maha concluded.

In recent years diabetes has reached epidemic levels worldwide, with children as young as seven years of age developing diabetes. Since 2007, ICLDC’s ‘Diabetes. Knowledge. Action’ campaign has reached out to more than 90,000 people in UAE.
 

View News Headlines