The Department of Public Health at the College of Health Sciences at Qatar University (QU) organized a thesis oral defense for one candidate from the Master of Public Health Program. The examination committee consisted of faculty examiners, including examiners from the Department of Nutrition at QU’s College of Pharmacy and the College of Medicine at Mohammed Bin Rashid University.

Under the supervision of Dr. Isabel Ferreira and Dr. Ammira Akil, Bayan AlNajjar delivered her thesis “Study of the Prevalence and Incidence of Obesity among Children Living with Type I Diabetes in Qatar, and its Impact on Health Outcomes.” The results of her study showed that about two in five children diagnosed with Type I Diabetes in Qatar are also overweight or obese. Her findings also suggest that this may complicate their glycemic control and thereby their disease management in general, potentially accentuating and anticipating debilitating complications in the longer term. The study highlights the need to halt the current epidemic of childhood obesity.