Dietary patterns in the United Arab Emirates and their alignment with global healthy and sustainable diet recommendations: a scoping review

Journal article : Review

Introduction: In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), dietary patterns and food systems—like in many countries elsewhere—contribute to rising burdens of diet-related non-communicable diseases while also intersecting with global challenges of climate change and environmental degradation. Sustainable dietary models, such as the Mediterranean diet and the EAT-Lancet recommendations, provide frameworks that can support both health and environmental sustainability. Methods: We assessed the alignment of the UAE diet with global sustainable diet guidelines through a scoping review of studies assessing UAE dietary intake and an analysis of national food data, using national databases and those from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The study focused on the general population, with available evidence covering key demographic groups including children and adults. Alignment was evaluated against the EAT-Lancet and the Mediterranean diet to generate policy-relevant evidence. Results: The review identified 14 eligible studies, of which one assessed environmental sustainability and none benchmarked UAE dietary patterns against the EAT-Lancet Commission recommendations. Overall, dietary patterns in the UAE showed substantial misalignment with both EAT-Lancet and Mediterranean Diet recommendations. Plant-based food intake was consistently low, with 83% of adults and up to 100% of male adolescents failing to meet fruit and vegetable recommendations, while sugar, fast food, and animal-based food consumption was high. Women’s dietary intake deviated markedly from EAT-Lancet targets, with plant-based foods well below recommendations, including whole grains (−77%) and nuts (−94%), and animal-based foods and added sugar exceeding targets, including red meat (+151%), poultry (+224%), and added sugar (+455%). Abu Dhabi food supply data showed red meat availability sevenfold above EAT-Lancet recommendations (+663%), while legumes (−68%) and nuts (−94%) were markedly underrepresented. Nationally, animal protein supply more than doubled between 2010 and 2021 (25 to 58 g/capita/day). Conclusion: The findings highlight the need for collaborative efforts to promote healthier, sustainable food systems and diets in the UAE, advancing both public health and environmental sustainability goals.

Authors: El Ghaziri, M; Carr, T; Tak, M; Pastorino, S; Cheikh Ismail, L

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Frontiers Media
• Journal: Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
• Volume: 10
• Article number: 1788648
• Publication date: 2026-05-20
• Acceptance date: 2026-03-11
• DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2026.1788648
• EISSN: 2571-581X
• ISSN: 2571-581X
• Language: English
• Keywords: mediterranean diet; EAT-Lancet recommendations; dietary patterns; sustainable diets; food systems; United Arab Emirates
• Subtype: Review