Basketball legend Kareem Abdul Jabar will lead the second Dubai Health and Fitness Weekend in aid of diabetes, it was announced on Wednesday.

Taking place on October 28-31, the event aims to raise awareness and provide education on the growing problem of diabetes in the UAE.

Abdul Jabar will meet fans, host basketball coaching clinics and discuss the importance of a healthy lifestyle to prevent diabetes.

The 67-year-old is one of the greatest players to ever grace the NBA and is the league’s higest-ever points scorer with 38,837. The Los Angeles Lakers icon won a record six MBA Most Valuable Player Awards and was an NBA All-Star a record t19 times during his career.

Abdul Jabar will be the second Lakers legend to headline the Dubai Health and Fitness Weekend after Kobe Bryant took part in last year’s inaugural event.

“Kareem Abdul Jabbar is quite popular in the region, not just because he’s a basketball legend but in addition to that he is also a Muslim,” said Maven Marketing and Events managing director Sarah Omolewu.

“He took the Shahada [Islamic declaration of faith] twice and he has also been to The Holy City of Mecca twice. It’s something he said was a deeply rooted spiritual decision.”

Omolewu added: ““Just like last year one of our objectives is to utilise these big athletes to get across a key message of health and fitness.

“This year will be another initiative to engage the community. We will disclose full details of the weekend post-Ramadan, but we can disclose that he will be participating in a coaching clinic and he will also have some speaking engagements on the importance of health and fitness.”

The UAE’s diabetes statistics are worrying. Currently, the Emirates is ranked ninth in the world in diabetes sufferers per capita, with 20 per cent of the population suffering from the condition.