Nearly one quarter of the population of the United Arab Emirates is aged 10-24 and they have challenging health risks including iodine deficiency according to Dr. Mahmoud Fikri of the UAE Ministry of Health. Fikri outlined programs implemented by his agency (including salt iodization) as a model for the other Gulf states in a meeting in Dubai sponsored by the World Health Organization, The Gulf Today reported December 13.

“The results of GCC studies proved that the adolescents and younger generations in the Gulf region face addiction to tobacco, anxiety, depression, genetic diseases, sexually transmitted diseases such HIV/Aids, obesity, eating disorders, iodine deficiency and are also prone to violence and accidents,” explained Dr. Tawfiq Khaja, director general, executive office of the GCC Ministers of Health in lauding the UAE experience.