Holy month no time for crash diets, doctors say

Doctors have warned against people, especially youth, using the holy month as a time for crash dieting.

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ABU DHABI // Doctors have warned parents that young people can fall prey to crash diets during Ramadan, in the hope of quick weight loss.

Many people, most commonly youths, use the holy month to limit their food intake and do not eat the necessary nutrients between iftar and suhoor, dieticians said.

“I have had cases where parents were complaining about their teenage children, around the age of 14, saying they do not eat any-thing, skip their breakfast and work out on an empty stomach hoping to shed weight,” said Dr Juliot Vinolia, a clinical dietician at Medeor 24x7 Hospital.

“The metabolic rate in teenagers is quite high compared with adults. They need a lot more nutrients and the deficiency of any can affect their growth.”

Although Ramadan fasting is good for the body, it needs to be done the right way, Dr Vinolia said.

“If children do not fast the right way they end up with less protein in their diets, which makes them susceptible to respiratory illnesses, food poisoning and harm to the immune system,” she said. “The dehydration can get more complicated too, causing migraines and headaches.”

And any weight loss from crash dieting during Ramadan is likely to be a quick fix that will not last long, she said.

“Even for people not fasting, we recommend them to gradually progress into normal eating habits after Ramadan,” Dr Vinolia said. “If you just jump into your usual schedule after an unhealthy Ramadan diet, you will not be able to sustain the weight loss. The sudden shift to eating will affect the person and losing that fat then becomes even harder.”

Older people also tend to go on Ramadan diets, said Dr Anita Das Gupta, clinical dietician at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi.

“I have seen 50 to 60-year-olds saying it is a good time to lose weight,” she said.

They will only end up gaining weight if they do not eat anything, Dr Das Gupta said, because when they are tempted in the long run, even the smallest amount of food will affect body weight.

“Many people just have one meal a day during Ramadan to shed weight, but it bounces back once they give in to cravings.”

She said people should eat at suhoor, have a light iftar and then light exercise, and avoid working out on an empty stomach.

“They all lead to the same goals,” Dr Das Gupta said.

Having a healthy Ramadan is not difficult, Dr Vinolia said.

“The prayer itself is like an exercise and when breaking your fast, replenish and hydrate yourself,” she said.

“Have a yogurt smoothie, wait for at least 40 minutes, let it digest and then work out.

“Exercise should be more cardio and dinner should not be much later than 9pm.

“Ramadan is like a detox of the mind, body and soul, and people should see it that way.”

mmannan@thenational.ae