beyondbrics

Traditionally during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting, the hours when one can eat are filled with large feasts. The ubiquitous fast-food brands that dominate so much of Dubai’s eating culture see revenues collapse as day-time snacking stops and Muslims spend more time at home with their families.

But a new trend of healthy eating in the UAE means these brands face a longer term threat, too, as the challenge of the fast has quickened a broader trend towards healthier eating among the country’s middle class expatriate and Emirati nationals.

The Gulf, lumbering under record obesity and diabetes rates, is hardly a paragon for healthy eating, but fears at the extent of diet-related diseases is bringing the issue into sharper focus.

Two generations ago, Emiratis lived a tough existence with no access to electricity but their diet of fish, camel milk and dates was complemented by an outdoors life.

A quick rags-to-riches rise, triggered by the discovery of oil, brought with it more options for food. The result of which is a nation obsessed with fatty processed meals. Around three-quarters of Emiratis are overweight or obese and a one in four suffers from diabetes, research has found.

Wild Peeta, a local sandwich store, has tried to bring a healthier take on the ubiquitous shawarma, the Middle Eastern kebab sandwich.

“We try to do the right thing, rather than focusing purely on profit,” says Mohammed Parham al-Awadhi, co-founder of the outlet.

“We pack a lot of vegetables into sandwiches and we put a normal human portion of meat in each sandwich, an 80g portion of meat, rather than 200g you get at fast-food restaurants,” he says.

Smaller portions do not always go down well with customers, some of whom say the restaurant is cheating them.

“People are programmed to believe more is always better, it’s a skewed value system, but we are not going to change.”

But Awadi has noticed a distinct increase in health concerns among Emirati customers, from ordering healthier options to searching out organic produce.

As the sun sets every day in Dubai, another related trend is emerging: a rise in exercise.

The city’s lazy car-culture, which makes it difficult to walk or cycle, along with the severe summer heat, is behind the “Dubai stone” (or “Dubai 6.35 kilos” for those on the metric system) that seems to befall expatriates who move to the city.

Even outdoor exercise is possible from around 5:30pm, as the sun dips low in the sky and temperatures drop, and the night-time humidity has yet to kick in. Locals – from young boys to fully-covered women – can be spotted walking, jogging and cycling ahead of breaking their fast.

Fitness First, the largest chain of gyms in the Middle East, has seen significant growth over the past few years.

In Ramadan, it advises customers to train after a modest iftar (evening meal), followed by a protein shake. If the holy month is prompting more reflection over the future of the country’s health, officials will be happy.

Health campaigners in the region will, after all, often point to the following verse in the Quran:
“Everything good that happens to you (O Man) is from God, everything bad that happens to you is from your own actions.”

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