Nutrition Experts Urge Moderation During Aidilfitri Feasting

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19, (Bernama) -- Ketupat, lemang, rendang and a variety of traditional kuih are among the festive favourites eagerly awaited each Hari Raya Aidilfitri. However, nutrition experts advise the public to enjoy them in moderation to avoid potential health risks.

Nutritionist from the Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Prof Dr Norhasmah Sulaiman, said the shift in eating patterns after a month of fasting often becomes the main challenge in maintaining a healthy diet during the festive season.

“During Ramadan, eating habits are generally more controlled in terms of timing and portion size. But during Aidilfitri, people are exposed to energy-dense foods high in saturated fat, sugar and salt, such as lemang, ketupat, rendang and a wide range of traditional kuih.

“The main challenge is the tendency to eat repeatedly throughout the day, especially when visiting friends and family and during open houses,” she told Bernama.

She added that irregular eating habits and excessive calorie intake can upset daily nutritional balance and ultimately lead to fat accumulation in the body.

The issue becomes even more significant as the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023 found that 54.4 per cent of adults in Malaysia are now classified as overweight or obese.

Norhasmah explained that traditional festive dishes are typically high in calories, due to the use of coconut milk, sugar and oil, while physical activity levels also tend to decline during the celebrations.

“The combination of these factors creates a condition known as positive energy balance, where energy intake exceeds energy expenditure, increasing the risk of obesity and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and hypertension,” she said.

Norhasmah stressed that there is no need to eliminate traditional dishes from festive menus, as they are part of cultural identity and play an important role in strengthening social bonds.

She suggested practical steps such as opting for smaller portion sizes, balancing rich foods with vegetables and fruits, and returning to a balanced diet based on the Malaysian Healthy Plate concept if overeating occurs during the early days of the celebration.

Meanwhile, a nutrition professor from the Faculty of Nutrition Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Prof Dr Ruzita Abd Talib, said calorie intake during Aidilfitri can increase two to threefold due to heavy breakfasts, consecutive open houses and continuous snacking.

“The culture of ‘hosts must serve, guests must taste’ also makes it easy to consume excess calories without realising it. Consistently consuming excess calories, even over three to five days, can contribute to weight gain, especially when physical activity is low,” she said.

She therefore advised the public to practise moderation in line with the Malaysian Dietary Guidelines.

“Opt for smaller portions rather than avoiding foods entirely. Balance your plate, half vegetables and fruits, a quarter protein, and a quarter carbohydrates,” she said.

Simple approaches during open houses include not arriving overly hungry, adopting the mindset of ‘taste, not finish’, limiting festive cookies to one or two types, and drinking plain water before and after meals.

“Aidilfitri should be a time to celebrate achievements and strengthen relationships, not a contest over who eats the most. Enjoy traditional foods with gratitude, but in moderation. The celebration lasts only a few days, but its impact on health can be long-lasting if we are not careful,” she said.

-- BERNAMA