Do not forget diet and exercise during Ramadan

We conducted an analysis of internet search trends spanning from January 2022 to June 2023 in the ten most populous Muslim countries. Our study focused on key terms, including the prominent GLP1 analog "ozempic (TM)", as well as "diet", "exercise", and "diabetes". The findings revealed a substantial increase in searches for the GLP1 analog in eight countries. Concurrently, searches for "diet" and "exercise" predominantly exhibited a decline in nine and four countries, respectively. Notably, searches for "diabetes" displayed positive trends in only two countries. These patterns indicate a growing reliance on pharmaceutical interventions for managing diabetes and weight, often to the detriment of diet and exercise. Healthcare professionals and clinicians in Muslim countries should emphasize the importance of maintaining dietary and exercise regimens for patients with diabetes, even during the observance of Ramadan.