I'll have what they're having

Local boys socialise and snack in the town centre of a small rural township in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Rapid modernisation has led to substantial changes in the dietary patterns of children and adolescents in the United Arab Emirates. Over-consumption of sugary drinks, high-energy sweets, and high-fat snacks are paralleled with under-consumption of nutrient-dense foods such as milk, vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. Choices of food—healthy or not—are socially influenced, particularly for children and adolescents. Dietary trends in the United Arab Emirates suggest an urgent need for public health interventions to improve diets of children and adolescents. Healthy eating messages—along with community, family, and peer role-modelling of healthy eating—are fundamental to normalise dietary patterns.