With the expected declaration of Eid Al Fitr tonight, eating patterns in the Muslim world will soon return to normal. Apart from the obvious religious component of Ramadan, the holy month has also served to bolster, for the faithful, their appreciation for what they have to eat. Ramadan also helps Muslims understand the importance of the simple act of breaking their fasts with friends and loved ones.
And now the end of Ramadan presents an opportunity to make a fresh start in eating habits, rather than reverting to the unhealthy practices to which so many of us in the UAE succumb to for much of the year.
All of this makes the anti-diabetes drive by the Health Authority Abu Dhabi's Weqaya (preventive) service both timely and worthwhile.
Type 2 diabetes, which is primarily caused by poor diet and insufficient exercise, is a particular scourge in this part of the world. One recent YouGov study compiled for The National showed that half of Emirati families have a history of the disease.
As part of the Weqaya initiative, our Arabic-language sister newspaper, Al Ittihad, distributed tape measures so readers could measure their waistlines and assess their risk of contracting Type 2 diabetes.
This is hardly a definitive diagnostic tool. But there is a clear correlation between waist measurements and the risk of contracting the disease. Anyone with waist more than 88cm (for women) and 102cm (for men) needs to be on the alert for Type 2 diabetes.
But the real value of the programme is to make people think about their diet and their lifestyle. After a month of disrupted eating patterns, Eid should be a relatively easy time for most of us to make a pledge to take control of our lifestyles, to prevent diabetes taking hold.
For most of us, all we need to do to stay healthy is to follow a few relatively simple steps, like watching our weight, avoiding particularly fatty or processed foods, exercising for half an hour a day and, over the age of 40, getting an annual checkup by a doctor.
That's good advice in general, not just to avert diabetes.
A good way to start is to indulge only modestly in the sweets that traditionally mark Eid Al Fitr. There is no need to forego them entirely - most experts say the secret to successful long-term weight loss is to have a system which fits into your everyday life with the least disruption.
