Have you noticed weight gain in Dubai after moving here? If your jeans feel tighter and the scale keeps creeping up, you’re not alone. Many expats and residents experience sudden weight gain after settling in the UAE. But what’s behind this common (and frustrating) issue?
In this post — based on our latest video — we’ll explore the seven surprising reasons you might be gaining weight in Dubai, backed by research and personal experience.
Table of Contents
1. Sedentary Lifestyle in Dubai
One major cause of weight gain in Dubai is the lack of daily movement. Dubai is a car-centric city — you drive to work, to the mall, to your friend’s place. Add to that a hot climate, and most people prefer staying indoors in air-conditioned spaces.
Unlike walkable cities like Mumbai or Berlin, you rarely clock 10,000 steps just by living. This lack of everyday physical activity leads to gradual but consistent weight gain.
2. Food Delivery Overload
Apps like Talabat, Zomato, and Deliveroo make it ridiculously easy to order food at any time. Midnight biryani? Sure. Double cheese burger at 2 am? Delivered in 15 minutes.
The convenience is addictive, but it removes the effort from food preparation — and promotes unhealthy habits. Combine this with oversized portions and high-fat foods, and your calorie intake can skyrocket without you even noticing.
3. Dining Out & Dubai’s Brunch Culture
Dubai is famous for its weekend brunches — endless buffets with free-flowing drinks. While they’re fun, they’re also calorie bombs. Regularly indulging in high-calorie, low-nutrient meals contributes heavily to weight gain in Dubai.
Even everyday dining is indulgent. From karak chai to kunafa, every food experience is loaded with sugar or fat.
4. Salty Water You Didn’t Expect
This one surprised us. While Dubai’s water is safe to drink after desalination, it often contains higher sodium levels than you’d find in other parts of the world. And guess what? High sodium = water retention = bloating.
If you’re drinking or cooking with unfiltered tap water, you might feel puffier — even if you’re not technically “fat.” It’s temporary, but it’s real.
💡 Tip: Use a proper water filter and limit sodium-rich processed foods.
5. Air Conditioning and Low Calorie Burn
Living in AC 24/7 keeps your body in a thermally neutral zone, which reduces calorie expenditure. In colder countries, your body burns extra calories just to stay warm — not in Dubai.
If you’re spending all day indoors with minimal movement and no climate discomfort, your basal metabolic rate may slightly drop, leading to weight gain over time.
6. Low Vitamin D = Low Energy = More Fat
Vitamin D deficiency is extremely common in the UAE due to limited sun exposure. Low vitamin D is linked to:
- Increased fat storage
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Cravings for sugar and carbs
In short, it can make you lazy and hungry — the perfect storm for weight gain in Dubai.
🧪 Get your vitamin D levels checked and consider safe supplementation.
7. Stress and Expat Life
Moving to a new country is exciting, but it also comes with stress — job pressure, financial adaptation, social isolation. All of these trigger cortisol, the stress hormone responsible for increasing belly fat.
Plus, many people cope with stress by comfort eating — especially sugary or fatty foods, which offer temporary dopamine hits but long-term health problems, all contributing to weight gain in Dubai.
How to Combat Weight Gain in Dubai
Here are some quick ways to fight back:
- Walk more: Malls, parks, and Corniche areas are your friend.
- Cook at home at least 4 times a week.
- Hydrate with filtered water.
- Don’t skip the gym — even if it’s in your building.
- Get sunlight or supplement vitamin D.
- Practice portion control during brunches.
Also Read:
How Much Gold Can You Bring from Dubai to India? Rules & Tips for Travelers
🌐 External Links (DoFollow):
- Khaleej Times: Gaining Weight in UAE? Here’s Why
- Gulf News: The UAE’s Big Fat Problem
- Cleveland Clinic: Can Vitamin D Deficiency Cause Weight Gain?