Kuwait Times

Published Date: August 31, 2008

KUWAIT: The Islamic holy month of Ramadan, is a month of fasting for the stomach and mind. It is also a month of celebration and festivity for thousands of Muslims worldwide, a time of family gatherings, where dusk-time breakfast tables are decorated with assortments of nourishments and delights that capture the eye and tantalize the taste buds. It is presumed that after a month of food abstinence until sundown, people would normally lose weight. For some Muslims that is the case, yet for many it probably
isn't.

So says Dr. Yousef Bu Abbas, President of the Kuwait Medical Association's Obesity Organization and Consultant in Endocrinology, revealing that medical studies he carried out in the Arabian Gulf region, showed that most people gain between four and seven kilograms during Ramadan.

Studies in North African Muslim countries and others including Turkey, however, showed the opposite result, with fasting people losing about 3-5 kg in the holy month.

Dr Bu Abbas attributed this to the lack of nutritional education in some countries, such as those in the Arabian Gulf, which could be corrected through education or by the media.

Food in the Arabian Gulf predominantly depends on carbohydrate-filled rice and desserts that usually contain animal fat, such as 'Halwa.' People in the Arabian Gulf tend to eat much more in Ramadan, while simultaneously taking less physical exercise.

The doctor suggested that exercise is a vital factor in the month of fasting, in order to balance food intake and weight gain. More attention should also be paid to the quality and amount of food eaten, with salads and fruits taking priority, as well as green tea at the end of each meal.

Sleeping after breakfast is a common habit amongst people in the Gulf, which Dr Bu Abbas advised against. He also warned against excessive eating, emphasizing that one should only eat to assuage hunger. - KUNA