Almost half (45%) of the UAE's high net worth individuals (HNWIs) believe they will live to 100, according to UBS Investor Watch.

In fact, the very wealthiest investors expect to live the longest, and they are the most willing to sacrifice wealth for better health. Nine out of 10 (91%) admitted that health is more important to them than wealth.

Not only do they spend on doctors’ visits and insurance premiums, but preventive services are also popular. Investors spend significantly on gyms, coaches, supplements and other “lifestyle” expenses. Millennials tend to spend more on these services than other generations.

It also looks like wealthy people are scaling back, as eight in 10 of them believe that too much work is bad for their health. They now make sure they don’t work on weekends and their mobile phones and emails are turned off when they’re on holiday.

The study covered more than 400 individuals in the UAE who have at least US$1 million. This was part of a global study conducted among nearly 5,500 millionaires with at least $1 million investable assets (excluding property). The global sample was split across 10 markets: Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Mexico, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, the USA, the UAE and the UK. The research was conducted between December 2017 and April 2018.

“Health clearly takes precedent over wealth in the UAE, based on our latest data. In fact, nowhere else in the world would investors give up so much of their wealth in exchange for a longer, healthier life, ” said Niels Zilkens, head of wealth management for Arabia Gulf and non-resident Indians at UBS.











