As part of the second component of the environmental health research project, researchers will conduct an epidemiologic study involving 600 Emirati households. This study will include an assessment of the health status of all members of these households.

The study will assess how people's health is affected by:

• Indoor air pollution
• Diet 
• Lifestyle

The research team will gather samples of indoor air from each of 600 households and analyze the samples for these contaminants: NO2 (nitrogen dioxide), SO2 (sulfur dioxide), H2S (hydrogen sulfide), CO (carbon monoxide), PM (particulate matter), benzene, and formaldehyde.

The research team will then evaluate relationships among indoor air quality, health outcomes and blood markers. The team also will assess variations among rural and urban dwellers and among households of various sizes.

The air pollutant and health data gathered in this study will help determine which indoor air pollutants and which health outcomes are related and which are of most concern in the UAE.

The epidemiologic study will also assess the effects of modern lifestyles and dietary habits on the health of UAE citizens. Nutrition experts on the research team will design and administer a questionnaire to the 600 households.

The survey will yield data about daily diet, child obesity, diet-related diseases such as diabetes, and physical activity patterns. The survey will also provide an analysis of how public health may have been affected by recent shifts in UAE dietary and activity patterns.

...more details (DOC)

Official study site