In a new initiative to help educate residents about the importance of nutrition and exercise, health officials will be parking a colorful trailer around key hotspots in Doha over the next few weeks, starting with the Corniche on Thursday.

Visitors will be invited to climb aboard the vehicle, which is part of the new “Yalla Natural Roadshow.” It’s an initiative launched by Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q), as part of its “Sahtak Awalan: Your Health First” campaign.

Speaking to Doha News, WCMC-Q spokesperson Nesreen Al-Refai said:

”We want to raise people’s awareness regarding their health and reach them wherever they are, instead of making them come to us.”

The Yalla Natural Roadshow comes amid other initiatives with similar goals, such as last week’s annual National Sport Day and the installation of new exercise equipment along the Corniche.

Qatar has been struggling with obesity since the 1980s, and its young people are especially at risk for health-related complications such as diabetes due to weight problems.

The country is also among the world’s top five countries for overweight and obese adults, while its girls are the heaviest they have been in 30 years, according to one recent report.

The Sahatak Awalan campaign was established in 2012 by Public Health Minister Abdulla bin Khalid al-Qahtani to fight obesity and help raise awareness of the children to create a more healthy generation.

Healthy strategies

The 12x6m trailer was designed to grab the attention of passersby as well as host many experts and displays related to health.

For example, chefs from the Qatar National Convention Centre will hold cooking demonstrations in the trailer to show residents how to make healthy and easy-to-prepare meals.

Meanwhile, gardeners will demonstrate how residents can plant their own food at home, and large screens will exhibit general wellness tips.

Nutrition and exercise experts will also be available to give free advice on losing weight and staying fit.

”We want to tell residents that anyone can have exercise in a simple, feasible way without having to pay a lot of money,” Al-Rifaei said. “For example, residents can take their children for walks in the parks, which are available in Qatar for free.”

The event will take place from Feb. 19 until March 27 in several areas, including the Corniche, Aspire, Qatar Foundation, Sealine Beach and Katara Cultural Village. The full schedule is posted online.

Do you plan to check it out? Thoughts?