Today's Edition
BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
With Abu Dhabi now requiring healthier menu options at hotel restaurants, eating nutritious meals while dining out should get easier, experts told Aletihad.
Doctors and nutritionists praised the emirate's move to require tourism-licensed food and beverage outlets to offer a minimum number of healthy items, based on the SEHHI nutritional standards set by the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre.
Adult menus must include at least one healthy option in every category, while children's menus must have at least 50% of listed items qualify as healthy - meaning foods lower in fat, sugar and salt and higher in nutritional value.
The rule took effect on July 1, with a three-month grace period before full enforcement begins on October 1.
Dr Marian Malak Eshak Morkos, Family Medicine Specialist at Burjeel Day Surgery Centre in Al Shahama, noted that what makes the rule significant is where it applies.
"Hotels and tourism outlets serve large numbers of people, residents and visitors alike, often during special occasions when people may be less likely to think critically about what they are eating," she said.
Behavioural research shows consumers are influenced by what is easy, visible and presented as the norm, she explained. "A healthy dish buried at the bottom of a long menu has far less influence than one that's clearly labelled and positioned where diners naturally look first."
Another expert agreed that the visibility of healthy food options can make a difference. Maitha Salem Alameri, Clinical Nutritionist at Medeor Hospital in Abu Dhabi, said many people already want to eat healthier but make decisions quickly when dining out.
"I have seen that people are more willing to try healthier dishes when they are presented as appealing and accessible options rather than restrictions," she said. "The strength of these initiatives lies in making the healthier choice the easier choice."
Shaping the Food Environment
While individuals remain responsible for what they eat, Alameri said the food environment around them strongly shapes those decisions. Small, repeated improvements help reduce the burden of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other lifestyle-related conditions, she added.
And if better eating habits can be instilled from a young age, wider public health benefits can be expected - which is why children's menu options matter too, the experts said.
Alameri noted that childhood is when lifelong eating habits form, so repeated exposure to particular foods can shape preferences into adulthood.
When healthy meals become a normal part of children's menus, she added, they help establish positive eating patterns early on.
Dr Morkos agreed, noting that children have far less control over their choices when dining out, since they're selecting from whatever a restaurant puts in front of them.
"When half of that menu is genuinely healthy, we are changing the default they grow with, not just adding a token healthy option," she said.
What Hotels have Noticed
At hotels, guests are indeed becoming more mindful of what they eat, according to industry experts. Abhinaba Mukhopadhyay, Executive Sous Chef at Fairmont Bab Al Bahr Abu Dhabi, said demand for lighter, healthier, lower-calorie dishes has grown compared with a few years ago.
"People still want to enjoy their dining experience, but they are also more conscious of making healthier choices," he told Aletihad. "Parents have also become more conscious of what they order for their children and ask for healthier, more balanced options. It shows that mindful eating is becoming more important for families as a whole."
Aniket Bhatt, Corporate Director of Operations at STORY Hospitality in Abu Dhabi, has observed a similar shift, with guests increasingly seeking fresh ingredients, grilled dishes, plant-based choices, lower-sugar alternatives and high-protein meals.
"Healthy dining is no longer a niche request; it has become an important part of what guests expect from a modern hospitality experience," he told Aletihad.
Making Healthy Eating Part of Everyday Life
For health experts, the impact of the new requirements will ultimately be measured over years, not individual meals.
"If this is sustained and paired with other steps Abu Dhabi has already taken in retail and schools, the cumulative effect can be meaningful in reducing diet-related conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease," Dr Morkos said.
"Public health gains from changes to the food environment tend to be gradual rather than immediate, but they can build over time."
The experts also linked the policy to the visitor experience. Alameri pointed to growing global demand for wellness-focused travel, saying healthier options could bolster Abu Dhabi's reputation as a destination focused on wellbeing and sustainability.
Dr Morkos said healthier menus don't have to come at the expense of the dining experience: "A destination that makes healthier eating easy without taking away choice or indulgence can appeal to families, wellness travellers, and repeat visitors who value these options."
Bhatt said consistently available healthy choices could reinforce Abu Dhabi's focus on wellbeing and quality of life, while Mukhopadhyay said the changes could make healthier food more accessible to residents and visitors alike.
"It is a great example of how the UAE is supporting a healthier lifestyle for its residents and visitors, which will strengthen Abu Dhabi as a destination that cares about the overall guest experience, including health and wellbeing," Mukhopadhyay added.
