“On the first day of Ramadan, right after having my Iftar, my stomach became so bloated that I had to rush to hospital, where I was diagnosed with severe colon inflammation,” said Hesham Farouk, a 31-year-old athlete.
Farouk has suffered several times from colon inflammation that can lead to constipation. However, fasting during Ramadan was not the cause of his health problem. Rather, it was the unhealthy eating habits he had adopted immediately after fasting for nearly 14 hours.
“I ate heavily during the first hour of Iftar as if I had never eaten before,” he said. His meal included foods high in saturated fats and refined carbohydrates like macaroni with béchamel sauce, kofta, duck with orange, rice, and sugary beverages such as kharoub and karkade.
Of course, he also had his favourite dessert of kunafa with mango and chocolate.
Farouk then had to take two days off from fasting so that his body could return to its normal state.
“I feel that family gatherings in Ramadan sometimes force us to eat more than we can bear. That’s why I have turned down many gatherings of family and friends so that I can keep control of my diet and body weight,” he said.
Farouk learned his lesson early in Ramadan this year – that unhealthy eating can lead to serious health problems. But what about the rest of the population?
The Ministry of Health and Population has launched a campaign targeting consumer habits during the holy month of Ramadan, particularly excessive eating and drinking. It is believed that food consumption in Egypt during Ramadan increases by 100 to 150 per cent compared to other months of the year.
Although Ramadan is a month of fasting that might suggest reduced food intake, the reality is often the opposite. Families prepare a wide variety of dishes for large social gatherings, consuming greater quantities of food, desserts, and drinks than usual.
The campaign, whose slogan is inta al-hal (“it’s in your hands”), targets consumers who might purchase or consume large quantities of unnecessary or junk food, as well as those who indulge in excessive desserts and sugary drinks.
It was developed in collaboration with Tarek Nour Communications and DDB Egypt, reflecting a broader shift in how public institutions compete for attention during Ramadan’s high-advertising season.
“It is an informative and entertaining series of ads that addresses everyone who watches television,” said Amira Tahio, a public-health consultant and manager of the Alexandria Pediatric Centre.
“The message is clear: it is better to follow a healthy diet.”
“Of course, we need this kind of awareness throughout the whole year,” she added, “but this campaign is especially important during Ramadan because of the increased consumption of desserts and certain types of food.”
“We all need to be reminded of how we eat and drink. These ads are very successful in addressing the major health risks that can affect anyone after consuming a heavy meal,” she said.
One advertisement, for example, states that the desserts you pay for today may cost you your health tomorrow, encouraging viewers to cut back on sugar during Ramadan.
“The message is clear: what you eat today will define who you are tomorrow,” Tahio added.
Although the ads target all generations, she noted that they primarily reach people who watch television, typically older audiences. As a result, the campaign may struggle to reach younger generations who rely more heavily on social media.
“Maybe we need other ways to address young people by reaching them in both their physical and digital spaces,” she told Al-Ahram Weekly.
The campaign’s advertisements often feature a doctor interrupting moments of excessive eating to warn about future medical consequences.
“Buy only what you need during Ramadan and remember that overeating unhealthy food leads to numerous diseases,” the ministry said in its campaign message.
“Such bad habits must be countered not only by the government but also by non-governmental actors,” said Noha Mamdouh, the mother of three children. “We buy and cook large quantities of food, but in reality we eat only about 20 per cent of what we place on the table. So where does the rest go?” she asks.
“We should question ourselves as adults: are we raising children who think Ramadan is a month of consumption and consumerism, leaving them bloated and potentially harming their health, or are we teaching them the spiritual values of Ramadan while maintaining social gatherings with reasonable amounts of food?”
Shaker Mohamed, an associate medical specialist, said that Ramadan should encourage a balanced diet. Meals should include vegetables, fruit, and whole grains, he said, also advising moderate portions and smaller plates.
He also reminded everyone, himself included, to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water between Iftar and Sohour to prevent dehydration during fasting hours. Sugary drinks and caffeine should be limited, as they can contribute to dehydration.
Amr Abdel-Hakim, a neurologist, said that fasting can play an important role in protecting brain health, memory, and overall well-being. It can help to protect brain cells by reducing the accumulation of harmful proteins between nerve connections, potentially lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Fasting can also support weight management and reduce obesity. Maintaining a healthy body weight improves blood circulation and lowers the risk of vascular diseases and stroke.
Abdel-Hakim said that fasting can also enhance the brain’s performance, supporting memory, learning, and cognitive abilities.
Ramadan is also important economically, since it reshapes consumption, accelerates cash flows, and tests the resilience of the country’s economic reforms.
Food and dessert companies compete intensely to attract consumers, as Ramadan represents a seasonal spike in demand. Advertising agencies and retailers also try to capture higher growth margins, since the month generates one of Egypt’s largest annual consumption surges.
Food consumption rises sharply as families prepare Iftar meals, entertain guests, and purchase seasonal staples such as dates, juices, rice, sugar, and packaged food. As a result, more than 85 per cent of Egyptian households adjust their spending during Ramadan.
“I feel that we are constantly drawn into a flood of advertisements on television and social media,” said Noha Mohamed, a 50-year-old mother in Cairo.
“People naturally love gatherings and socialising during Ramadan. However, in recent years there has been a form of social pressure – not to buy the best things, but the most expensive ones.”
“We have always had social gatherings, but nowadays there is overwhelming pressure even when preparing dishes. For example, people feel they must serve turkey, duck, chicken, and red meat all in one meal. This puts enormous strain on household finances, sometimes forcing families to spend thousands of pounds on a single dinner.”
“In the end, we are left with massive amounts of leftovers. Sometimes we distribute the food to the poor, but often much of it simply goes to waste.”
“In the past, meals were much simpler. We would even bake something at home to bring as a gift when visiting a host. But today, if I suggested keeping things simple and serving guests normally, people might look down on me, as if I were suggesting some kind of crime,” Mohamed said.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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