According to a new study title "Gulf Health: A Modern History," Qatar is just behind UAE in per capita spend on diabetes treatment. This has been attributed to the country's trending unhealthy lifestyle..

UAE spends a staggering $2,228 on diabetes treatment on average and Qatar spends just as much with a bill that amounts to $2,199.

The study will showcase an illustrated story of the deterioration of health across the GCC due to sedentary lifestyles and poor dietary habits at Arab Health 2015.

Rates of obesity and diabetes in the GCC are above global averages. Figures show 42 percent of GCC women are obese, compared to 14 percent of women across the globe, while 22 percent of the population suffers from diabetes, compared to the global average of only eight percent.

Statistics also showed that there has been a sharp increase in two of the most common cancers. Facts show  that, between 1998 and 2007, there was a 20 percent increase in breast cancer in women, and colorectal cancer increased 2.3 fold in men

"While this story may show us that lifestyle changes associated with modernization and urbanization have attributed to the increase in certain diseases, we are determined to deliver meaningful innovations across the health continuum to empower people to live healthier lives, and helping providers make better informed decisions for their patients," said Reinier Schlatmann, General Manager, Gulf Region, Philips Healthcare Middle East & Turkey.

[Source: Royal Philips]