Health & Wellness in Saudi Arabia

Saudis Love "their Food"One of the Highest Per capita food consumption

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calories

And they "Love "

to Eat Out "

Restaurant sales volume increased by 6%; "3% more new restaurants "Takeaway new outlets increased by 12% (2009-2010 eruro monitor)

There are Foods that make them Happy

Happy Foods

•  Balela with vinegar and cumin fries with vinegar and black pepper,

•  1 Riyal ice cream (machine soft ice cream).

•  Kebdah (Liver) sandwiches.

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Street Food:

Happy Foods

•  Mutabaq (pastry stuffed with either sour or sweet filling),

•  Ma’asube (crunchy bread with banana and honey)

•  Shawarmah (bread wrapped meat sandwich)

•  Falafel (lentil and grain )

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Street Food:

Happy Food

– Rainy weather •  (rice with lintels and fish)

– Ramadan: • Sobya (drink that is made from bread and raisin).

– Weddings or big parties. • Ta’atema (collection of cheese, breads, pickled olives and

homemade Jams) they would have it beside other food, Saleeg (known kind of rice).

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Occasional Food:

Happy Food

– Eid: usually families gather for breakfast and special dishes are prepared such as Dibyaza (sweet dish made out of kammardien and nuts),

– Shaeriya (similar to noodles- they do it with sugar and cardamom),

–  Mamoul (pastry stuffed with dates or nuts) people prepare at home.

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Occasional Food:

Happy Food

Hijri (Islamic new year): •  they prepare Kahwat Looz some people call

it success coffee (Milk with cinnamon and nuts- when you drink something with a white color, your year will be white) some people prepare mulokhya (green vegetable) at lunch or dinner so that your year becomes green and full of success and wellness.

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Occasional Food:

Happy food = Happy Life

But, not everyone is happy After Marriage Before Marriage

Health is not the real Wealth

Heart Attack is the no1 cause of death KSA is the 3rd most diabetic country in the world 52% of the population is fat or obese Child obesity 14% among - 8-14 year olds"

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Citizen Obese"53% of the population is fat or Obese in KSA " Only 2 out of 10 are making an

effort to reduce weight

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Foods, diet and wellbeing - monitoring consumer trends for competitive advantageRoger Smith and Bill Parton, ESOMAR, Annual Congress, London, September 2006

Did anybody see Healthy ?

•  Healthy is a person who looks thin and slim; does not matter what his/her lifestyle and habits are.

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Thin

Slim

However, there are some "Health Warriors

But, when in Saudi, "do as the Saudis do…..

Make me look thin"I don’t care How"Fact : slimming products category has grown by 23% in 2010

Increasing popularity of diet pills and surgical solutions for losing weight. Despite knowledge and evidence of severe unhealthy after effects, drastic weight loss solutions are popularly considered

Euro monitor data 2010

Social Gyming

Gyms are more of a social hangout, people go there to socialize;

30 mins exercise, 2 hours social time Gyms and Health spa are a thriving business in

KSA , 15% category growth

Popular belief that no matter how heavy and greasy the food that you eat, having it with diet cola and finishing it off with green tea will make it all right.

Commonly Overheard “Big Mac with Cheese and Diet Coke”

Green tea & Diet Cola Will Save You !

Perpetual "Dieting

Inconsistently followed diet plans that continue forever Its fashionable to talk about your diet plans and personal health initiatives

“Health and Wellness” is like a fad in the society. people love to talk about it, be seen with it and socially be known for it but in reality they are not committed to health.

A probable reason for this is the majority of youth population (over50%) in the country who are reckless and lack serious understanding of the issue.