The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has launched a series of training workshops aimed at improving the skills of school health staff and enhancing their ability to gather accurate health data from students. This initiative supports the National Programme to Combat Obesity among Children and Adolescents, which seeks to address rising obesity rates in young people.
The workshops were held across several locations, including the Ministry’s headquarters in Dubai, the Teacher Training Institute in Ajman, and Sharjah. They specifically targeted school nurses and physical education staff, focusing on teaching them how to accurately record anthropometric measurements—such as height and weight—of students aged 5 to 17. These measurements are crucial for assessing the size, proportions, and composition of the human body, which are key indicators in identifying and addressing obesity.
Focus on Data Accuracy and Standardization
The primary aim of these workshops is to develop standardized protocols for the collection and analysis of data related to early obesity indicators. By ensuring the accuracy and reliability of this data, the initiative aims to improve preventive health policies and support more informed decision-making based on precise scientific evidence. This aligns with the Ministry’s broader strategy to enhance preventive and community health programs, improve the quality of life across the nation, and promote public health among community members, especially school students.
Throughout the four-day training, several sub-sessions were conducted to strengthen the technical skills of school nurses. These sessions included both interactive activities and theoretical lectures to ensure participants could accurately measure students’ weight and height using approved anthropometric standards. The focus on precise data collection is intended to provide reliable statistics on obesity prevalence, identify cases of overweight students, and standardize the recording and consistency of health data.
Building a Sustainable Impact
An important component of the workshops was the training of participants to correctly and completely fill out student data record forms, a step essential for maintaining high-quality data within the National Programme to Combat Obesity among Children and Adolescents. The sessions aimed to establish clear concepts and procedures to ensure the accuracy of data entry.
Furthermore, the initiative prepared participants to become trainers themselves. By equipping school nursing staff with these essential skills and procedures, the workshops aim to expand their impact and reach. This “train-the-trainer” model ensures that the knowledge and practices taught in the workshops will be disseminated more broadly, amplifying the program’s effectiveness in combating childhood obesity in the UAE.
Overall, the initiative represents a proactive approach by UAE health officials to tackle the growing issue of obesity among school-aged children and adolescents by emphasizing the importance of accurate health data and standardized measurement practices.
