Medical experts have warned people not to binge eat during Eid.

After 30 days of fasting many people will today be settling down to larger than normal meals.

But Dr Zain Gulzar, consultant endocrinologist and medical director at RAK Hospital’s diabetic clinic in Dubai said it was important to eat sensibly the first day after Ramadan.

He told the Gulf News: “During the month-long fasting, our bodies get tuned to staying hungry for longer periods.

“So if people binge during Eid, although our bodies quickly adapt to it, it also triggers the excessive release of insulin to deal with the sudden spike in blood sugar levels.”

Dr Gulzar said. “If people eat a lot of carbohydrates — which is the case during Eid — these get converted into fat by insulin and stored in our body. The body is not likely to give up on that fat easily and the result is weight gain."

The high release of insulin also results in reactive hypoglycaemia, Dr Gulzar added.

“This drop in blood sugar results in mood swings, irritability and hunger. More insulin triggers an urge to eat more carbohydrates and this turns into a vicious cycle,”

Clinical dietitian Mitun De Sarkar told the newspaper, “Your body takes 21 days to get used to a certain lifestyle pattern.

“So after 30 days of Ramadan, you are likely to disturb that routine. This can lead to indigestion and acidity to serious gastroesophageal reflux in some.

“This change not only impacts the digestive system, it can also disrupt hormonal and metabolic systems, leading to weight gain.”