

CAIRO -- The sun slips beyond the Nile and the fast is broken. As they have done for centuries during the holy month of Ramadan, Egyptians hurry home through the twilight to eat and drink after a long, scorching day.

Fasting renews the spirit but it often does little to trim the waist line. What happens between dusk and dawn can endanger health: Feasting, inactivity and disrupted sleep -– Muslims often stay up until 4 a.m. to eat a last meal before sunrise -- can add weight in a population already struggling with one of the highest obesity rates in the world.

“Unfortunately, many Muslim patients, and Muslims in general, tend to overeat upon breaking their fast, and usually the meal involves heavy, fatty foods that are high in calories,” Dr. Al Madani, head of Emirates Diabetes Society, told TradeArabia, an online news site.

The breaking of the fast usually begins with fresh dates and lots of water, followed by soups and juices, including a popular one made from berries and topped with pine nuts. Soon after evening prayers, a large meal called iftar is shared. Poor people are not left out: They dine under tents called “God’s tables,” which are donated by the wealthy and dot the neighborhoods of this sprawling, ancient city.

The feasting continues after dinner as Egyptians visit with family and friends. Special desserts such as creamy konafa and syrupy basboussa are served throughout the night. The next meal, or sohour, comes just before morning prayers; there are more sweets to supply fuel through the day’s fast.

This is repeated for 30 days.

Mahmoud Ismail said there are two ways to do Ramadan: one healthy, one less so. The 38 year-old father of two is a swim coach and physical education teacher in Cairo.