WHAT IS THE
PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY?Why is this study important?
The UAE Healthy Future study is the first prospective study to provide scientific evidence of the causes of chronic diseases in the United Arab Emirates. The study also plays an important role in the development of prevention methods for the benefit of the UAE and Arab societies.
Research
Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Medical Research in the United Arab Emirates
Results from the Abu Dhabi cohort study (ADCS) focus group discussions
How do people in the UAE perceive medical research?
What motivates people in the UAE to participate in research, particularly longitudinal studies where follow up is a key feature?
In 2015, a qualitative study utilizing focus group discussions and involving participants from the UAE community who resemble the target population was conducted. Participants join studies for varied, complex reasons, notably altruism and personal relevance. Based on these insights, we propose specific actions to enhance participant recruitment, retention and satisfaction in the UAE Healthy Future Study. We identified a number of opportunities to improve participants’ research experience and offer potential interventions for consideration/ Research Awareness.
Researchers
El Obaid, Yusra, Aisha Al Hamiz, Abdishakur Abdulle, Richard B. Hayes, Scott Sherman, and Raghib Ali
The AGE-RAGE axis in an Arab population
The United Arab Emirates Healthy Future (UAEHF) Pilot Study
Obesity, diabetes and heart disease result in the death of millions every year as reported by the WHO. Most of these deaths occur in the low- middle income countries. The UAE has rapidly evolved from semi- nomadic society to a flourishing high income society, which introduced a new lifestyle (high energy food consumption and low physical activity). These rapid changes resulted in the increase of the rates of obesity and diabetes among the population.
This is what motivated researchers to investigate about the metabolic mechanisms and biomarkers such as AGE (Advanced glycation endproducts) and RAGE (receptor for AGE). AGE -RAGE is highly related to obesity and are mostly expressed in the adipose tissues. Previous studies showed that RAGE expression increases in adipose tissue and in diabetic status.
In the UAE Healthy future study, we aim to understand the causes of these common metabolic diseases in a prospective manner and identify predictive biomarkers. They found that lower levels of esRAGE were associated with obesity and risk of metabolic syndrome. Moreover, no significant association between CML- AGE and BMI, WC/HC or diabetes status were observed.
Researchers
Inman, C.K., Aljunaibi, A., Koh, H., Abdulle, A., Ali, R., Alnaeemi, A., Al Zaabi, E., Oumeziane, N., Al Bastaki, M., Al-Houqani, M. and Al-Maskari, F
The UAE Healthy Future Study
A Pilot For a Prospective Cohort Study of 20,000 United Arab Emirates Nationals
The UAE is faced with a rapidly increasing burden of non- communicable diseases including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The UAE healthy future study (UAEHFS) is a prospective cohort study designed to identify associations between risk factors and disease outcomes amongst Emiratis. The study will enroll 20000 UAE nationals, aged ≥18 years.
Environmental and genetic risk factors will be characterized and participants will be followed for future disease events. As this was the first time a prospective cohort study was being planned in the UAE, a pilot study was conducted in 2015 with primary aim of establishing study feasibility.
Overall, 517 Emiratis (mean age: 32 ± 10.7) for males and (30 ± 9.9) for females participated and 90%, 82.2% and 94.4 % of them completed the questionnaire, physical measurements and provided samples, respectively. The prevalence of diabetes and hypertension as well as the levels of cholesterol were higher amongst males. The results show the importance of the UAEHFS and its feasibility to recruit 20000 UAE nationals with a high completion rate
Researchers
Abdulle, A., Alnaeemi, A., Aljunaibi, A., Al Ali, A., Al Saedi, K., Al Zaabi, E., Oumeziane, N., Al Bastaki, M., Al-Houqani, M., Al Maskari, F. and Al Dhaheri, A.
Tobacco Use
Patterns of tobacco use in the United Arab Emirates Healthy Future (UAEHFS) pilot study
This study is the first in the region to gain an accurate measure of the current smoking status among the Emirati population in Abu Dhabi through self-reported responses with objective urinary cotinine measurements. Overall, 36% of men and 3% of women reported smoking tobacco based on survey responses compared to 42% of men and 9% of women based on biochemical confirmation results. 32% of smokers used two different tobacco products, whereas 6% of smokers used more than two tobacco products at the same time. Tobacco smoking rates in the UAE are higher than previously thought. Misclassification of smoking status was more common than expected, presumably due to cultural reasons.
Researchers
Al-Houqani, M., Leinberger-Jabari, A., Al Naeemi, A., Al Junaibi, A., Al Zaabi, E., Oumeziane, N., Kazim, M., Al Maskari, F., Al Dhaheri,
Incense Burning and Oral Microbiota
Incense Burning is Associated with Human Oral Microbiota Composition
Our findings reveal that incense burning is associated with changes in the diversity and composition of the oral microbiota and that even low exposures to incense use affects the relative abundance of several taxa, including Streptococci, the most abundant organisms of the oral microbiota. The observed changes may serve as a biomarker of exposure to incense use toxicants and may be related to oral health. Since the practice of burning incense has been and is currently globally used in many different contexts (i.e. spiritual and religious ceremonies), determining and understanding its health effects is essential to establish and implement proper global policies for its use.
Researchers
Vallès, Y., Inman, C.K., Peters, B.A., Wareth, L.A., Abdulle, A., Alsafar, H., Al Anouti, F., Al Dhaheri, A., Galani, D., Haji, M. and Al Hamiz, A.
Publications
2026 (7)
Toward global representation in single-cell genomics.
Shahin T, Bolatbay D, Idaghdour Y. Trends in Genetics 2026. ISSN01689525
Integrative multi-omics analysis reveals oral microbiome-metabolome signatures of obesity.
Shibl AA, Denekew TW, Ahmad AR, Abdelrazig S, Leonor CE, Utenova L, Zhang G, AbdelBaqi M, Malla Y, Arshad M, Arnoux M, Drou N, Abdulle A; UAE Healthy Future Study Investigators Group; Ali R, Amin SA, Idaghdour Y, Jha AR. Cell Rep. 2026 Jan 22:116819. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.116819. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41576957.
Bias in AI systems: integrating formal and socio-technical approaches.
Ahmad, A., Vallès, Y., Idaghdour, Y. 08 January 2026. Frontiers in Big Data. DOI:10.3389/fdata.2025.1686452. ISSN:2624-909X
Ahmad A, Idaghdour Y. 2025. A Statistically Grounded Rubric for Evaluating AI-Human Decision Quality: Simulation-Based Validation and Open-Source R-Toolkit, 10th International Conference on Information Technology Trends (ITT), Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2025, pp. 218-223, doi: 10.1109/ITT69610.2025.11352933.
Mohamed AZ, Qadi A, Dogar A, Salah A, Hamkari A, Alkalali D, Begum G, Paterson HJ, Morjane I, Hassanin O, Wen P, Benour R, Mohanty S, Valles Y, Ljubisavljevic M, Idaghdour Y, Abdullah O, Sreenivasan KK, Rokers B. Sci Data. 2026 Jan 5;13(1):186. doi: 10.1038/s41597-025-06498-0. PMID: 41490994; PMCID: PMC12887056.
From Worst Case to Conditional Frontiers in Reinforcement Learning.
Ahmad A, Vallès Y, Idaghdour Y. From Worst Case to Conditional Frontiers in Reinforcement Learning. David C. Wyld et al. (Eds): CSML, AISCA, DNLP, SOEA, NET, BDHI, SIPO – 2026, pp. 37-50, 2026. – DOI: 10.5121/csit.2026.160204CSCP 2026CS & IT.
2025 (5)
Ahmad A, Idaghdour Y. 2025. A Statistically Grounded Rubric for Evaluating AI-Human Decision Quality: Simulation-Based Validation and Open-Source R-Toolkit, 10th International Conference on Information Technology Trends (ITT), Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2025, pp. 218-223, doi: 10.1109/ITT69610.2025.11352933.
Leinberger-Jabari, A., Ahmad, A., Lindson, N., Begh, R., Hartmann-Boyce, J., Fong, G. T., Ali, R., Idaghdour, Y., Sherman, S E. Factors Associated With Single, Dual, and poly Combustible Tobacco Use Among Emirati Adults in the United Arab Emirates: The UAE Healthy Future and ITC Survey Results (2016–2023), Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2025; ntaf113,
Mezhal F, Ahmad A, Abdulle A, Leinberger-Jabari A, AlJunaibi A, Alnaeemi A, Al Dhaheri AS, AlZaabi E, Al-Maskari F, AlAnouti F, Alkaabi J, Kazim M, Al-Houqani M, Hag Ali M, Oumeziane N, El-Shahawy O, Sherman S, Shah SM, Loney T, Almahmeed W, Idaghdour Y, Ahmed LA, Ali R. PLoS One. 2025 Mar 12;20(3):e0319648. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0319648. PMID: 40073342; PMCID: PMC11903036.
Freitas RPB, Andreata VG, Ali A, Nanni AG, Pinto ALS, De Moraes BM, Sanjur CA,… Al Balushi M, …Chatromyen S. Principles and Practice of Clinical Research, 2025, 11(1).
Leinberger-Jabari A, Ahmad A, Lindson N, Oke J, Hartmann-Boyce J, Fong GT, El-Shahawy O, Ali R, Sherman SE. Nicotine Tob Res. 2025 Jul 22;27(8):1340-1348. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntae299. PMID: 39704356.
2024 (7)
Taimah, M., Juber, N. F., Holland, P., & Brown, H. A systematic review of the methodology for examining the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and type two diabetes mellitus [Systematic Review]. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2024.137391
Leinberger-Jabari, A., Ahmad, A., Lindson, N., Oke, J,, Hartmann-Boyce, J., Fong, GT., El-Shahawy, O., Ali, R., and Sherman, SE. Nicotine & Tobacco Research (Dec 2024). DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntae299
Taimah, M., Ahmad, A. Al-Houqani, M. Al Junaibi, A. Idaghdour, Y. Abdulle, A. Ali, R. “Association between obstructive sleep apnea risk and type 2 diabetes among Emirati adults: results from the UAE healthy future study”. Frontiers in Endocrinology (Jul 2024)
The infants’ gut microbiome: setting the stage for the early onset of obesity.
Vallès, Y., Arshad, M., AbdAlbaqi, M., Amar, A., Inman, C.K., Drou, N., Gunsalus, K.C., Ali, R., Tahlak, M., and Abdulle, A. The infants’ gut microbiome: setting the stage for the early onset of obesity. Frontiers in Microbiology (Jul 2024) DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1371292
Sociodemographic predictors of the association between self-reported sleep duration and depression.
Al Balushi M, Ahmad A, Al Balushi S, Javaid S, Al-Maskari F, Abdulle A, Ali R. PLOS Global Public Health (June 2024)
A Note on Rounding Error in The Variables: Understanding Its Influence on Statistical Estimators
Ahmad, A. La Matematica 3, 865–890 (2024).
Associations between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Antibiotic Use: Results from the UAEHFS.
Juber, F. N., Abdulle, A., Amar, A., AlAnouti, F., Loney, T., Idaghdour, Y., Vallès, Y., and Ali, R. Antibiotics 13, 397 (Apr 2024).
2023 (13)
A Method of Correction for Heaping Error in the Variables Using Validation Data
Ahmad, A. S., M. Al-Hassan, H. Y. Hussain, N. F. Juber, F. N. Kiwanuka, M. Hag-Ali, and R. Ali. Statistical Papers (Feb 2023).
Al Balushi, M., Al Balushi, S., Al-Maskari, F., Abdulle, A., Ahmad, A., and Ali R. J Nutr Obes 3: 101 (Feb 2023)
AlMuhairi, S., A. Abdullahi, F. AlMaskari, J. Nauman, L. Ahmed, R. Ali, and S. Shah. Population Medicine 5(Supplement), , A1489 (Apr 2023).
Alrahma, A. M., H. Al Suwaidi, R. AlGurg, Z. Farah, H. Khansaheb, R. Ajja, M. Alzaabi, A. Al Hamiz, A. Aljunaibi, A. Abdulle, A. Al Dhaheri, S. M. Shah, J. Nauman, and T. Loney. Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness 21, no. 2 (Feb 2023): 218-25.
Atef, S., F. Al Hosani, L. AbdelWareth, R. H. Al-Rifai, R. Abuyadek, A. Jabari, R. Ali, B. Altrabulsi, S. Dunachie, A. Alatoom, and J. G. Donnelly. International Journal of Infectious Diseases 131 (Jan 2023): 100-10.
Systems Genetics Identifies Mirna-Mediated Regulation of Host Response in Covid-19.
Gjorgjieva, T., A. Chaloemtoem, T. Shahin, O. Bayaraa, M. M. Dieng, M. Alshaikh, M. Abdalbaqi, J. Del Monte, G. Begum, C. Leonor, V. Manikandan, N. Drou, M. Arshad, M. Arnoux, N. Kumar, A. Jabari, A. Abdulle, G. ElGhazali, R. Ali, S. Y. Shaheen, J. Abdalla, F. Piano, K. C. Gunsalus, H. Daggag, H. Al Nahdi, H. Abuzeid, and Y. Idaghdour. Human Genomics 17, no. 1 (Jun 2023): 49.
Juber, N. F., A. Abdulle, A. Ahmad, A. Leinberger-Jabari, A. S. A. Dhaheri, F. Al-Maskari, F. Anouti, M. Al-Houqani, M. H. Ali, O. El-Shahawy, S. Sherman, S. M. Shah, T. Loney, Y. Idaghdour, and R. Ali. (Aug 2023). Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(17), 5618
Juber, N. F., A. Abdulle, A. AlJunaibi, A. AlNaeemi, A. Ahmad, A. Leinberger-Jabari, A. S. Al Dhaheri, E. AlZaabi, F. Al-Maskari, F. AlAnouti, H. Alsafar, J. Alkaabi, L. A. Wareth, M. Aljaber, M. Kazim, M. Weitzman, M. Al-Houqani, M. Hag-Ali, N. Oumeziane, S. Sherman, S. M. Shah, W. Almahmeed, Y. Idaghdour, T. Loney, O. El-Shahawy, and R. Ali. International Journal of Womens Health 15 (Aug 2023): 289-98.
Juber, N. F., A. Abdulle, A. AlJunaibi, A. AlNaeemi, A. Ahmad, A. Leinberger-Jabari, A. S. Al Dhaheri, E. AlZaabi, F. Mezhal, F. Al-Maskari, F. Alanouti, H. Alsafar, J. Alkaabi, L. A. Wareth, M. Aljaber, M. Kazim, M. Weitzman, M. Al-Houqani, M. Hag-Ali, N. Oumeziane, O. El-Shahawy, S. Sherman, S. M. Shah, T. Loney, W. Almahmeed, Y. Idaghdour, and R. Ali. Frontiers in Endocrinology (Lausanne) 14 (Feb 2023): 1022272.
Kokkorakis, M., P. Folkertsma, S. van Dam, N. Sirotin, S. Taheri, O. Chagoury, Y. Idaghdour, R. Henning, J. Castela Forte, C. S. Mantzoros, D. de Vries, and B. Wolffenbuttel.The Lancet 4476201 [Preprint] (Oct 2023).
Leinberger-Jabari, A., Golob, M. M., Lindson, N., and Hartmann-Boyce, J. Addiction (Dec 2023)
Mezhal, F., A. Oulhaj, A. Abdulle, A. AlJunaibi, A. Alnaeemi, A. Ahmad, A. Leinberger-Jabari, A. S. Al Dhaheri, E. AlZaabi, F. Al-Maskari, F. Alanouti, F. Alameri, H. Alsafar, H. Alblooshi, J. Alkaabi, L. A. Wareth, M. Aljaber, M. Kazim, M. Weitzman, M. Al-Houqani, M. H. Ali, E. M. Tuzcu, N. Oumeziane, O. El-Shahawy, R. H. Al-Rifai, S. Sherman, S. M. Shah, T. Alzaabi, T. Loney, W. Almahmeed, Y. Idaghdour, L. A. Ahmed, and R. Ali. BMC Cardiovascular Disorders 23, no. 1 (Mar 2023): 137.
Ten Resources for Understanding Bias in Health Research: Ebm Live Workshop 2022.
Nunan, D., K. Bashir, K. Bilimoria, J. Birdi, F. Campbell, R. Dean, M. B. Downer, G. G. Costa, M. M. Golob, A. Heintzman, M. S. Howe, S. Karunananthan, K. K. Kurup, A. Leinberger-Jabari, Y. Luo, N. Mathe, R. T. D. Miguel, R. L. Morrow, C. Scobie, V. South, J. Stavisky, and U. N. Yadav. BMJ Evidence Based Medicine (Oct 2023).
2022 (14)
Al Blooshi, Manal, Tamadher Al Ameri, Maryam Al Marri, Amar Ahmad, Andrea Leinberger-Jabari, Abdishakur Abdulle, Manal Taimah et al.
PloS one 17, no. 11 (2022): e0277684.
Metabolic Syndrome in Fasting and Non-Fasting Participants: The UAE Healthy Future Study
Mezhal, Fatima, Amar Ahmad, Abdishakur Abdulle, Andrea Leinberger-Jabari, Abderrahim Oulhaj, Abdulla AlJunaibi, Abdulla Alnaeemi et al.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 21 (2022): 13757.
Juber, Nirmin F., Abdishakur Abdulle, Abdulla AlJunaibi, Abdulla AlNaeemi, Amar Ahmad, Andrea Leinberger-Jabari, Ayesha S. Al Dhaheri et al.
International journal of environmental research and public health 19, no. 16 (2022): 10339.
Al Balushi, Mitha, Sara Al Balushi, Syed Javaid, Andrea Leinberger-Jabari, Fatma Al-Maskari, Mohammed Al-Houqani, Ayesha Al Dhaheri et al.
BMC psychology 10, no. 1 (2022): 1-9.
The Psychological Impact of Isolation on Hospitalised Patients with COVID-19 Infection in the UAE
Ahmed, Nahida Nayaz, Nirmin F. Juber, Reem AlKaabi, Fatema AlShehhi, Mohamed AlObeidli, Ahlam Salem, Alaa Galadari, Shamil Wanigaratne, and Amar Ahmad.
Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health 12, no. 4 (2022): 516-523.
AlAnouti, Fatme, Amar Sabri Ahmad, Laila Abdel Wareth, Ayesha Al Dhaheri, Abderrahim Oulhaj, Abdulla Al Junaibi, Abdullah Al Naeemi et al. (2022).
Ahmad, Amar, Heba Mamdouh, Heba Al Naseri, Aisha Al Hamiz, Christian Heumann, and Raghib Ali.
Asian Journal of Medicine and Health 18, no. 11 (2021): 159-166.
2021 (8)
Mezhal, Fatima, Abderrahim Oulhaj, Abdishakur Abdulle, Abdulla AlJunaibi, Abdulla Alnaeemi, Amar Ahmad, Andrea Leinberger-Jabari et al.
Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome 13, no. 1 (2021): 1-8.
The Socio-Demographic Characteristics Associated with Non-Communicable Diseases among the Adult Population of Dubai: Results from Dubai Household Survey 2019
Alnakhi, W. K., Mamdouh, H., Hussain, H. Y., Ibrahim, G. M., Ahmad, A. S., Ali, R., & Abdulle, A.(2021). Healthcare (Vol. 9, No. 9, p. 1139).
Smoking cessation for improving mental health.
Taylor, G. M., Lindson, N., Farley, A., Leinberger-Jabari, A., Sawyer, K., Te Water Naudé, R., Theodoulou, A., King, N., Burke, C., & Aveyard, P. (2021). The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 3(3), CD013522.
Assessing motivators and barriers to active healthy living among a multicultural college student body: A qualitative inquiry
Leinberger-Jabari, A., Al-Ajlouni, Y., Ieriti, M., Cannie, S., Mladenovic, M., & Ali, R. (2021). Journal of American College Health, 1-5.
Perceptions and Attitudes towards Medical Research in the United Arab Emirates: Results from the Abu Dhabi Cohort Study (ADCS) Focus Group Discussions
El Obaid, Yusra, Aisha Al Hamiz, Abdishakur Abdulle, Richard B. Hayes, Scott Sherman, and Raghib Ali
PLoS One 11, no. 3 (2016): e0149609
The AGE-RAGE axis in an Arab population: The United Arab Emirates Healthy Futures (UAEHFS) Pilot Study.
Inman, C.K., Aljunaibi, A., Koh, H., Abdulle, A., Ali, R., Alnaeemi, A., Al Zaabi, E., Oumeziane, N., Al Bastaki, M., Al-Houqani, M. and Al-Maskari, F
Journal of clinical & translational endocrinology, 10, pp.1-8
The UAE healthy future study: a pilot for a prospective cohort study of 20,000 United Arab Emirates nationals
Abdulle, A., Alnaeemi, A., Aljunaibi, A., Al Ali, A., Al Saedi, K., Al Zaabi, E., Oumeziane, N., Al Bastaki, M., Al-Houqani, M., Al Maskari, F. and Al Dhaheri, A.
BMC Public Health, 18(1), p.101
Patterns of tobacco use in the United Arab Emirates healthy future (UAEHFS) pilot study.
Al-Houqani, M., Leinberger-Jabari, A., Al Naeemi, A., Al Junaibi, A., Al Zaabi, E., Oumeziane, N., Kazim, M., Al Maskari, F., Al Dhaheri, A., Wareth, L.A. and Al Mahmeed, W.
PloS one, 13(5)
Incense Burning is Associated with Human Oral Microbiota Composition
Vallès, Y., Inman, C.K., Peters, B.A., Wareth, L.A., Abdulle, A., Alsafar, H., Al Anouti, F., Al Dhaheri, A., Galani, D., Haji, M. and Al Hamiz, A.
Scientific reports, 9(1), pp.1-10
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