238:
six children in Saudi Arabia is obese. These trends correlate to lack of exercise, problems with focusing at school, and a decrease in playing with other children. Among the adult population, there is a prevalence of 42.4% obesity in males and 31.8% obesity in females. This rise in obesity puts a major strain on the healthcare system in Saudi Arabia as it is a risk factor for more serious diseases, such as cardiovascular disease. It can be attributed to the recent strengthening of the economy in Saudi Arabia. The accelerating economy was accompanied by a more "westernized" diet with more nutritional concerns.
201:
discourage women's participation in sports. Altwaijri advocates for the inclusion of a physical curriculum for girls as well as boys in schools; creation of safe neighborhood play spaces for both male and female children; safe areas where adult men and women can be physically active; and affordable health clubs for both women and men. She also supports regulation of
168:
One area of concern is the lack of pubertal growth standards for Saudi children. The only standards available to Saudi pediatricians have been based on pubertal characteristics of children in the United States. Altwaijri is developing epidemiological studies of Saudi children that will be sensitive
237:
Obesity, and specifically childhood obesity, is on the rise around the world. This trend is mostly seen in developed countries, but it is also seen in developing countries, including the Middle East, Central and
Eastern Europe. Saudi Arabia has seen an increase in childhood obesity and one in every
246:
Altwaijri chairs the Saudi Women in
Science Committee, a national network of female scientists from Saudi Arabia. She encourages Saudi women to enter scientific and technological fields, arguing that women scientists can use electronic forms of communication to collaborate and do significant work
200:
and strongly advocates for social and political changes that would promote more healthy lifestyles. She is particularly concerned about women, who are at a higher risk of developing obesity than Saudi men, in part because socio-cultural factors restrict opportunities for women to exercise and
212:
Altwaijri is a
Principal Investigator for the Saudi National Mental Health Survey, a broad-based investigation assessing the impact of mental illness in Saudi communities. No research into this area had been done previously in Saudi Arabia, even though the
217:(WHO) reports that five of the ten most burdensome diseases in the world involve mental health. In addition to Saudi government and educational institutions, this research involves international collaboration with
247:
without "cross the boundaries of our societal norms and customs." She indicates that restrictions such as the ban on women drivers make it difficult for women to go to work or to visit a fitness center.
114:. As the Head of Epidemiology Research, she studies the causes and effects of diseases and illnesses within a specific country, in her case Saudi Arabia. She studies the prevalence of conditions such as
150:. She received her M.Sc. from Tufts University in 1996 and her Ph.D. in 2002. Her parents strongly encouraged her to have a professional career that would enable her to be financially independent.
162:. Next she joined King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh where she leads the epidemiology research center. She is considered one of the top senior scientists in the country.
229:. The study, which was initiated in 2009, had the goal of visiting the homes of 5,000 men and women to interview people from across the country. 86% of interviewees were willing to participate.
159:
813:
803:
838:
833:
828:
103:
65:
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to promote the choice of healthy over unhealthy foods. To keep her children active, she enrolled them in competitive team swimming, where they became eligible to attend the
449:
589:"Correlation between obesity and emotional, social, and behavioral problems associated with physical limitation among children and adolescents in Western Saudi Arabia"
147:
165:
Altwaijri is involved in designing and carrying out epidemiological studies of the Saudi population, with particular attention to women, children and adolescents.
818:
808:
843:
134:
in Riyadh, receiving her B.Sc. in 1992. After marrying, she and her husband moved to the United States to attend graduate school. Altwaijri studied with
793:
823:
644:
Memish, Ziad A.; Jaber, Sara; Mokdad, Ali H.; AlMazroa, Mohammad A.; Murray, Christopher J.L.; Al
Rabeeah, Abdullah A. (2 October 2014).
741:
457:
798:
197:
338:
705:
401:
226:
214:
507:
368:
480:
206:
788:
222:
185:
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in Saudi society, and is active in advocating for social and political changes to promote better health.
131:
34:
218:
737:
731:
683:
665:
626:
608:
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551:
193:
673:
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143:
72:
38:
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91:
646:"Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 1990–2010"
430:
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621:
588:
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529:
119:
782:
139:
135:
181:
111:
99:
55:
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Al-Agha, Abdulmoein E.; Al-Ghamdi, Rahma A.; Halabi, Shaimaa A. (February 2016).
202:
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to factors in Saudi life such as socioeconomic standards, diet, and geography.
604:
528:
Dehghan, Mahshid; Akhtar-Danesh, Noori; Merchant, Anwar T (2 September 2005).
346:
669:
612:
555:
687:
630:
573:
546:
757:
733:
Arab Women Rising: 35 Entrepreneurs Making a
Difference in the Arab World
706:"'Arab Women Rising' Profiles 35 Female Entrepreneurs Changing the World"
661:
189:
402:"Yasmin Altwaijri: A Saudi Scientist Tackles Mental Health and Obesity"
296:
255:
177:
173:
115:
158:
After returning to Saudi Arabia from Boston in 2002, Altwaijri joined
107:
259:
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Altwaijri is one of thirty-five women featured in the book
450:"Eight Arab women making an impact in their societies"
160:
King Saud bin
Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences
104:
King Faisal
Specialist Hospital and Research Centre
71:
66:
King Faisal
Specialist Hospital and Research Centre
61:
51:
30:
23:
148:Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
530:"Childhood obesity, prevalence and prevention"
297:"Yasmin Altwaijri: Mother, wife and scientist"
8:
814:21st-century Saudi Arabian women scientists
804:20th-century Saudi Arabian women scientists
839:20th-century Saudi Arabian medical doctors
834:21st-century Saudi Arabian medical doctors
829:Tufts University School of Medicine alumni
424:
422:
258:to Saudi Arabia. She was included in the
20:
699:
697:
677:
620:
563:
545:
172:She also researches risk factors such as
704:Morris, Jane Mosbacher (30 April 2014).
333:
331:
329:
327:
325:
323:
321:
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98:) is a Senior Scientist and the Head of
730:Zafar, Rahilla; Syeed, Nafeesa (2014).
395:
393:
391:
389:
343:Saudi National Health and Stress Survey
290:
288:
286:
284:
282:
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278:
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130:Altwaijri studied Community Health at
819:21st-century Saudi Arabian scientists
809:20th-century Saudi Arabian scientists
7:
523:
521:
481:"The Curious Case of the Gulf Woman"
844:Saudi Arabian women medical doctors
400:Zafar, Rahilla (24 December 2014).
196:. She emphasizes the importance of
95:
508:"My Time in Saudi Arabia, Part IV"
506:Peterson, Paige (20 August 2015).
448:Farhat, Reine (28 December 2014).
429:Flaherty, Julie (1 October 2015).
14:
479:Elzeini, Sarah (5 January 2015).
339:"Project Principle Investigators"
88:Yasmin Ahmed Almubarak Altwaijri
1:
794:Saudi Arabian epidemiologists
758:"Who are the 100 Women 2014?"
431:"Breaking the Veiled Ceiling"
198:social determinants of health
487:. Foreign Policy Association
295:Kaaki, Lisa (17 June 2010).
254:, which includes women from
96:ياسمين أحمد المبارك التويجري
824:King Saud University alumni
860:
650:Preventing Chronic Disease
605:10.15537/smj.2016.2.12953
227:World Health Organization
215:World Health Organization
81:
44:
207:AAU Junior Olympic Games
262:'s 2014 list featuring
233:Obesity in Saudi Arabia
547:10.1186/1475-2891-4-24
223:University of Michigan
186:high blood cholesterol
799:Women epidemiologists
736:. Knowledge@Wharton.
593:Saudi Medical Journal
512:New York Social Diary
662:10.5888/pcd11.140176
485:Foreign Policy Blogs
142:Nutrition Center at
132:King Saud University
35:King Saud University
710:The Huffington Post
460:on 29 December 2016
406:The Huffington Post
349:on 10 January 2017
219:Harvard University
138:, director of the
764:. 26 October 2014
534:Nutrition Journal
266:internationally.
252:Arab Women Rising
106:(KFSH&RC) in
85:
84:
46:Scientific career
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345:. Archived from
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242:Women in science
194:chronic diseases
144:Tufts University
97:
73:Doctoral advisor
39:Tufts University
25:Yasmin Altwaijri
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599:(2): 161–165.
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120:mental illness
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16:Epidemiologist
15:
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789:Living people
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182:hypertension
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112:Saudi Arabia
102:Research at
100:Epidemiology
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768:15 December
715:15 December
491:15 December
464:15 December
411:15 December
378:5 September
353:15 December
306:15 December
203:food prices
783:Categories
270:References
225:, and the
670:1545-1151
613:0379-5284
556:1475-2891
540:(1): 24.
435:Tufts Now
301:Arab News
264:100 Women
126:Education
762:BBC News
688:25275806
656:: E169.
631:26837399
574:16138930
190:exercise
679:4184091
622:4800915
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369:"Wamda"
256:Tunisia
178:smoking
174:obesity
116:obesity
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154:Career
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717:2016
684:PMID
666:ISSN
627:PMID
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380:2018
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