Fasting in the month of Ramadan is a religious, cultural, and social ritual for Muslims. The benefits it is supposed to provide to people who practice it are often impaired by unhealthy lifestyles including diet. The present research aimed to study risky eating behaviors and the variation in food expenditure of the Moroccan population during Ramadan. This study was conducted in 2018 in 340 households in urban and rural localities in the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region of Morocco. Information on eating habits was collected by a nutritional survey using the method of dietary history; household food expenditure and sociodemographic characteristics were collected by a questionnaire. The average age of the population is 40 ± 14 years; the majority (40%) has a middle standard of living, and the average food expenditure increased by 50% during Ramadan. The food survey showed a significant increase in energy intake ( p < 0.001 ), carbohydrate intake ( p < 0.001 ), sucrose intake ( p = 0.02 ), sodium intake ( p < 0.001 ), and calcium intake ( p < 0.001 ) and a significant decrease in protein intake ( p < 0.001 ) and lipid intake ( p < 0.001 ), with no significant change in saturated fatty acid intake ( p = 0.86 ) during Ramadan. These results show that some dietary behaviors adopted during Ramadan could promote the development or worsening of overweight and chronic diseases. These data reveal the importance of nutritional education adapted to this sacred month.

One of the illustrations selected for the presentation of the nutritional recommendations of the Mediterranean diet (DM) is the food pyramid (FP). The aim of this work was to design a food pyramid illustrating the dietary pattern of an adult Moroccan population and compare it to the recommendations of the Mediterranean diet pyramid (MDP) updated in 2020 by a group of experts. The study was carried out over the period of 2018 to 2022, on 507 adults from the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region in Morocco. Socio-demographic data, usability, and toxic habits were collected using a questionnaire. Physical activity was assessed by the Marshal questionnaire. Food intake and food diversity have been determined by food history and food variety by food frequency questionnaires. The majority of the study population was over 34 years old (59%), resides in urban areas (70%), of which women (52%), sufficiently active (57%) and without any toxic habits (99.9%). A proportion of 31% still participate in meal preparation within the household, and 48.9% have at least two meals with the family daily. The population’s energy and protein intakes are higher (p<0.001) while their dietary fiber and water intakes are lower than the recommended intakes (p<0.001). The FP constructed according to the population’s food consumption comprises, from the bottom to the top, 1) water, 2) cereals and starchy foods, 3) sugars and sweet products, 4) fruits and vegetables, 5) dairy products, 6) olive oil, and 7) pulses, dried fruits, red meat, fish, chicken, eggs, and olives. The hierarchy and frequency of the consumption of certain foods and food groups differ from the recommendations of the updated MDP, reflecting a shift from sustainable diet.

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