Wellness
Study links obesity to elevated hypertension risk among young middle eastern women
Overweight and obese women have a higher risk of hypertension and cardiovascular risk factors than women with a standard BMI, according to an analysis of the ANCORS-YW STUDY.
The findings highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions that address socioeconomic determinants of health to reduce the cardiovascular risk burden in young Middle Eastern women.
The researchers used data from the ANCORS-YW study to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors associated with being overweight among young Middle Eastern women.
The study had a total of 626 participants, with ages ranging from 18 years to 50 years old.
The average age of the participants was approximately 42.9 years old.
Participants were evaluated by health professionals, medical residents and medical students.
Focusing on this demographic allowed the authors to better understand the early onset of cardiovascular risk factors associated with obesity in this life stage.
Mohammad Adnan Bani Baker, MD, is a medical doctor at Prince Hamza Hospital in Amman, Jordan.
He said: “This demographic is often underrepresented in global research and literature especially when it comes to the Middle East, despite the region’s high rates of obesity and cardiovascular disease.
“I was drawn to this topic because of the alarming rise in these conditions in Middle Eastern women, which poses a significant public health challenge.
““It is our hope that this study would bring attention and call for more targeted interventions to protect this vulnerable population.”
The results showed that overweight and obese women had a higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disease of pregnancy and persistent weight gain after pregnancy.
The study also found overweight and obese women were more likely to be older and have a low level of education.
To reduce the cardiovascular risk burden in this population, Bani Baker recommended a multi-disciplinary intervention that includes lifestyle modification programs, public health campaigns, educational programs and socioeconomic support.
Lifestyle modification programs would promote a healthy diet and increased exercise, tailored to the cultural preferences in the Middle East.
Raising awareness about these cardiovascular risk factors, public health campaigns would encourage early detection and treatment for hypertension and diabetes among young women in the Middle East.
The educational programs would be targeted towards young women, especially those with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and highlight the significance of weight management before and after pregnancy.
Socioeconomic support should be provided at cardiovascular screenings to help women from lower educational and income levels overcome the barriers they face to access health care, Bani Baker said.
“Tailored preventive strategies, informed by gender-specific factors, are essential for achieving global cardiovascular health objectives,” Bani Baker said.
“Our findings help health care providers to develop earlier prevention programs and raise awareness regarding the importance of weight management.”
Mariella Frostrup has been appointed the government’s women’s employment ambassador, a new role to support working women across the UK.
The new role comes as the government steps up efforts to support women with menopause symptoms, with businesses being encouraged to publish action plans aimed at tackling the £1.7bn lost each year through sick days, lost productivity and women leaving the workforce because of menopause.
The women’s employment ambassador role expands the remit of the menopause employment ambassador post, which Mariella Frostrup held over the past year.
In that role, she oversaw the launch of the Menopause Advisory Group and discussions with hundreds of employers to improve workplace support for women experiencing menopause.
In the expanded role, Frostrup will work closely with employers across the country to raise awareness of key health issues affecting women at work and champion the economic contribution women make.
Experts from across sectors will be brought together to gather evidence, identify barriers and opportunities, and provide informed recommendations on supporting women’s health at work.
Frostrup said: “Menopause support in the workplace has come a long way, and that progress is something to be proud of, but it cannot be where our ambition stops.
“Women’s health affects their working lives long before menopause, and for too long many have been navigating these challenges without the right support around them.
“Every woman deserves to know, at every stage of her career, that her health will not be a barrier to her success.
“I am delighted to take on this role and look forward to working with employers across the country support their imperative female workforce and retain them.”
Many health conditions affect women long before they reach menopause, including endometriosis and fibroids, making it vital that support is available throughout their working lives to stop women dropping out of the workforce for good.
This comes as part of the government’s drive to reverse the rise in the number of women who are economically inactive because of long-term sickness, which has hit a near-record high of 1.48 million.
Large businesses with 250 or more employees are also being encouraged to produce and publish voluntary action plans setting out how they will support employees experiencing menopause symptoms in the workplace.
Companies will be asked to commit to at least one action to support employees experiencing menopause, such as setting up support groups, tailored workplace adjustments including alternative uniforms, and more.
Dame Diana Johnson, minister for employment, said: “Too many women still face barriers that prevent them from reaching their full potential in the workplace.
“This new ambassador role sends a clear signal that we are serious about changing that, and Mariella Frostrup is the ideal person to take this on.
“By championing the brilliant contributions women make – as entrepreneurs, workers, and leaders – we can unlock economic growth that benefits everyone.”
The action plans are one part of the Employment Rights Act, which will boost employment and improve job security for more than 18 million workers and will benefit women balancing health, care responsibilities and careers.
Tracy Black, CBI chief commercial officer, said: “Businesses are committed to taking action to help women both stay and succeed in the workplace.”
“Awareness of the impact of menopausal symptoms at work is rising, leading to businesses taking a more pro-active approach to providing support. This is part of a wider trend of firms sharpening their focus on health and wellbeing.”
The women’s health ambassador, alongside the government’s renewal of the women’s health strategy, are working to make faster, more decisive progress on the health outcomes that matter most to women and girls across the country.
These measures, along with the new ambassador role, are intended to ensure employers are better equipped to support women and that women know how to access help throughout their career. Supporting women into work and throughout their career is a key part of the government’s commitment to Get Britain Working.
From spring 2026, employers with 250 or more employees will have the option to produce and publish a voluntary action plan alongside their gender pay gap.
Women with diabetes are less likely to get preventive care than those without the condition, a UCLA-led study suggests.
The findings are based on an analysis of more than 40 studies from several countries.
They highlight how physicians largely overlook the importance of these routine services for women who have diabetes mellitus, or DM, putting them at risk of preventable medical conditions such as pregnancy complications.
Lauren Wisk is associate professor of medicine in the division of general internal medicine and health services research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and senior author on the study.
She said: “These findings are important because they identify that women with diabetes are not receiving recommended well-woman care, which is essential to support both managing their diabetes and their overall health.
“Providers need to be aware that they should not forget to provide these essential services for women with diabetes.”
The researchers sifted through thousands of studies, focusing on the concepts of women, diabetes and women’s health services, and settled on 44 that addressed treatment services for women aged 15 to 49 with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, excluding those with diabetes insipidus or gestational diabetes.
They looked at four preventive health service categories: contraceptive counselling and use, breast and cervical cancer screening, pre-conception counselling, and screening for sexually transmitted infections.
One study found that 48 per cent of women with diabetes received contraceptive services compared with 62 per cent of women without the disease.
Nine papers showed cervical cancer screening rates ranging from 38 to 79 per cent for women with diabetes compared with 46 to 86 per cent for those without diabetes.
Four studies found that breast cancer screening rates for women with diabetes ranged between 38 and 69 per cent compared with 54 and 82 per cent for those without diabetes.
Fourteen studies found pre-conception counselling rates of just over 1 per cent compared with 46 per cent for women with diabetes who are planning to get pregnant.
The researchers did not identify any studies on screening for sexually transmitted infections, which they said represents “a substantial gap in the literature.”
The researchers wrote: “One of the more striking findings of this review is the importance of robust coordinated care teams in ensuring access to appropriate services for women with DM.
“Several of the identified studies provide support that a co-management model, or the concept of involving endocrinology, primary care, and other specialty care providers in the care of individuals with DM, as recommended by the American Diabetes Association, is associated with greater receipt of services.”
Within the time constraints of an office visit, primary care physicians are expected to address preventative health needs as well as chronic disease management, said Dr Lisa Kransdorf, an associate clinical professor of medicine at the Geffen School and a study co-author.
She said chronic disease management will often take priority.
“In cases where the patient has other providers such as specialists and clinical pharmacists actively involved in their chronic disease management, there is opportunity for primary care physicians to attend to preventative care gaps,” the researcher added:
There are some limitations to the findings.
The search yielded only 44 studies, many of which relied on patient recall, which can be unreliable, highlighting the need for further research.
In addition, most of the studies analysed had small sample sizes or were conducted at a single site, limiting how applicable the findings might be in other settings.
WUKA’s Tackle Anything campaign has officially reached their goal of supporting 6,000 girls across grassroots sports clubs in the UK – making a major milestone in the fight to keep girls in sport.
WUKA believes no girl should have to stop playing because of her period.
Yet for many young athletes, that’s still the reality. Fear of leaking through kit, managing cramps during training, or lacking access to sustainable period products continues to push girls out of sport.
The scale of the issue is impossible to ignore:
- 3 in 4 girls avoid sport and physical activity during their period
- This figure rises to 78 per cent among girls who have dropped out of sports.
- 43 per cent of girls drop out of sport after primary school
Source: https://womeninsport.org
That’s why WUKA, the award-winning, pioneering, female-founded period care brand, launched Tackle Anything – a campaign designed to support girls at grassroots level and create more period-inclusive sports environments from the very start of their journeys.
Since launching, the initiative has supported over 6,000 girls across a wide range of sports, including football, rugby, netball, roller hockey and taekwondo, reaching clubs in England, Scotland and Wales.
Through the campaign, clubs receive free WUKA Teen Stretch period underwear for young athletes, alongside expert-led period education delivered in partnership with 3x Olympian and Commonwealth, Euro & World Champion Hannah Miley MBE.
The programme helps coaches, parents and players feel more confident supporting girls in sport – both physically and emotionally
Continuing the Mission
While reaching 6,000 girls is a huge milestone, WUKA says the work is far from over.
The brand is continuing to expand Tackle Anything, with plans to support even more clubs and reach thousands more girls – ensuring that periods are no longer a barrier to participation in sport.
Because staying in the game shouldn’t depend on your cycle.
Founder and CEO of WUKA, Ruby Raut says: “At WUKA, this has never been about visibility – it’s about freedom.
“Freedom for girls to show up, play, and stay in sport without their period holding them back. Reaching 6,000 girls is a huge milestone, but for us, it’s part of a much bigger fight.
“We’ve already helped change the game, and we’re committed to continuing that progress.
“Every time we hit a goal, we set a new one — because this isn’t the finish line. It’s about shaping the future of sport and making sure the next generation grows up feeling confident, supported, and unstoppable.
Dean Wigzell (Head of Community Engagement at Kings Langley FC) adds: “The club is proud to be working with WUKA.
“Partnerships like this further reinforce our belief that our club is fast becoming the club to be at for young female footballers.”
The WUKA Mission:
WUKA – short for Wake Up Kick Ass – is on a mission to eliminate shame, silence, and stigma around periods.
Their commitment to menstrual equity in sport is starting where it matters most: at the beginning.
Because when you empower girls early, you don’t just keep them in the game – you change the future of the game itself.
Part of a Bigger Fight
This builds on WUKA’s wider activism – including their #AxeTheTax campaign, which successfully removed the tax on period pants, and continues to fight for true menstrual equity in the UK, including in sports.
Because access isn’t a luxury – it’s a right. WUKA is now making sure girls aren’t priced out of the game or made to feel like their period holds them back.
This isn’t just about products – it’s about freedom, fairness, and creating a level playing field for every girl.
To learn more about the campaign or explore how your club or organisation can get involved, visit: https://wuka.co.uk/pages/tackle-anything.
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