Riyadh Season Visitors Hit 5Mln Within First Five Weeks

 Riyadh Season 2022 is distinguished by its inclusion of 15 diverse recreational zones (Saudi Entertainment Authority)
Riyadh Season 2022 is distinguished by its inclusion of 15 diverse recreational zones (Saudi Entertainment Authority)
TT

Riyadh Season Visitors Hit 5Mln Within First Five Weeks

 Riyadh Season 2022 is distinguished by its inclusion of 15 diverse recreational zones (Saudi Entertainment Authority)
Riyadh Season 2022 is distinguished by its inclusion of 15 diverse recreational zones (Saudi Entertainment Authority)

The number of visitors at the Riyadh Season 2022 has hit about five million within 5 weeks since the event’s launch on October 21. Under the slogan “Beyond Imagination,” the festival offers entertainment areas, various activities and exceptional experiences that have succeeded in attracting visitors from inside and outside Saudi Arabia.

Combining originality and modernity, Riyadh Season 2022 provides visitors with many options and a chance to learn about the world’s civilizations at its “Boulevard World” zone.

Moreover, the event opens a window into ancient Saudi history for festival goers at the “Zaman Village” zone.

Riyadh Season 2022 still brings its visitors many surprises, entertainment offers, distinctive activities, and various experiences that meet the desires of visitors of different interests and age groups. These events deepen the sense of quality of life in Saudi Arabia and allow visitors to enjoy the winter weather.

The season is showcasing the largest events such as the Ferrari Festival, the Fan Festival accompanying the World Cup activities, Anime Town, Boulevard Eve, the Black Hat event, and the Festival of Cultures in Al-Suwaidi Park.

Also, the season features 15 diverse recreational areas, including the largest artificial lake in the world, cable car transportation, cloud-embracing lounges, in addition to the international Cirque du Soleil.

The season presents sporting events as well, such as WWE and the Riyadh Season Cup, which brings together the Paris Saint-Germain F.C. with the stars of Al-Hilal and Al-Nasr clubs.

The skies will light up with fireworks for 65 days. The season will also offer a large group of Saudi and Arab plays, several concerts, and local and international exhibitions in the fields of anime and perfumes.



Chinese Study Recommends Region-Specific Diets, amid Rising Obesity Risks

A customer shops for tomatoes at the vegetable section of a supermarket in Beijing, China October 17, 2024. (Reuters)
A customer shops for tomatoes at the vegetable section of a supermarket in Beijing, China October 17, 2024. (Reuters)
TT

Chinese Study Recommends Region-Specific Diets, amid Rising Obesity Risks

A customer shops for tomatoes at the vegetable section of a supermarket in Beijing, China October 17, 2024. (Reuters)
A customer shops for tomatoes at the vegetable section of a supermarket in Beijing, China October 17, 2024. (Reuters)

Chinese scientists have recommended a region-specific diet they say is crucial to improving eating habits in the country amid a rise in obesity and lifestyle diseases, and as a means to conserve natural and environmental resources.

China in October published its first set of guidelines to standardize the diagnosis and treatment of obesity, with more than half of China's adults already overweight and obese, and the rate expected to keep rising. The government has said that healthier diets are important to treat and prevent obesity.

A group of scientists from the School of Public Health at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, in China's affluent southern Guangdong province, said its study adheres to a "Planetary Health Diet" and advocates a reduced consumption of dairy products and red meat.

Published in the Nature Food journal in August and reported in state media last week, the study recommended that in China's north, which is characterized by a high intake of dairy products but low consumption of vegetables, people need to eat more fruits and whole grains.

In the southwest, which has a harsher environment and severe water scarcity, the region could focus on a high intake of legumes and vegetables rather than its existing very high consumption of red meat, the study said.

In the east, known for its "affluent agricultural culture and developed aquaculture", a higher intake of whole grains, seafood and vegetables was recommended for its residents.

China's health commission did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

The recommended diets work for the prevention of "obesity and cardio-metabolic diseases," said Liu Yan, one of the authors of the study, adding that they help reduce premature mortality and disability, and ensure nutritional requirements for residents.

Not only China but also other developing nations facing similar health and environmental challenges could benefit from the roadmap for the diet, the scientists said in the study.

Brent Loken, global food lead scientist for the World Wildlife Fund, said the study provided a promising way forward for developing countries, including India and Kenya.

"Adopting these planetary health diet variants could serve as a viable strategy for dietary shifts in China to achieve both human health and environmental sustainability goals... with lessons translatable to other countries around the world," he said.