Keeping the Nation Healthy: What We Can Learn from Faith Communities

Equi Ramadan Series #5

Ramadan in the UK is no longer something that happens quietly behind closed doors. It has become a recognised moment in the British calendar – a month that enriches society and brings benefits to Muslims and non‑Muslims alike. As part of the Equi Ramadan Series, this article explores how key events in the British faith calendar, such as Ramadan, can be used to encourage healthier habits in the broader population. 

Ramadan is a month of spirituality, prayer and reflection. For many Muslims, it’s also a time centred around food. Evening meals that break the fast bring families, friends and neighbours together, often featuring generous portions and sweet treats after a long day without food or drink. In recent years, concerns about overeating have led health organisations and community groups to publish guidance on healthier eating during Ramadan. As a result, more Muslims are now trying to balance enjoying their favourite dishes with looking after their health.

Most healthy‑eating advice for Ramadan is written specifically for Muslims. But major moments in the British faith calendar, including Ramadan, offer a wider opportunity. They can be used to promote healthier habits across the whole population. With nearly 6 million people in the UK living with diabetes and around 7 million affected by heart disease, these moments could help prevent thousands of deaths, ease pressure on the NHS and save significant public money. Obesity alone is linked to more than 30,000 deaths a year and costs the NHS £6.5 billion.

Ramadan provides a natural opening for health professionals and educators to talk to the wider public about portion control and the benefits of fasting. A growing body of research shows that fasting can help improve blood sugar levels, reduce blood pressure and lower cholesterol- lessons that apply far beyond the Muslim community.

There are also financial benefits linked to faith‑based practices. Equi’s report on alcohol misuse found that British Muslims save the government £1.62 billion a year simply by abstaining from alcohol. The NHS already encourages Muslim smokers to use Ramadan as a chance to quit. Expanding these campaigns to reach the wider population, including messages about reducing alcohol consumption, could help cut the £5.89 billion annual cost of alcohol misuse. Savings like these could be reinvested to strengthen the health service.

Other religious traditions offer similar opportunities. During Lent, many Christians give up meat, dairy or alcohol, creating a natural moment to promote discipline, self‑control and mindful eating. Buddhist festivals can help highlight the benefits of plant‑based diets. Most health experts agree that fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds are essential for good health, yet fewer than 20% of UK adults meet the recommended five portions of fruit and veg a day. Faith traditions contain powerful tools for encouraging healthier choices.

Even as the UK becomes more secular, faith still plays a meaningful role in many people’s lives. And many who do not follow a religion are open to learning from practices such as fasting, moderation and mindful living. Working with faith communities can help reach a wide cross‑section of society, people of faith and no faith, with messages about healthy eating. These partnerships give health professionals access to trusted networks, community spaces and cultural insight, all of which are invaluable at a time when the NHS is under growing strain.

Faith communities have a great deal to offer when it comes to promoting healthier lifestyles. Learning from them, and working alongside them, can help shape smarter public health policies, and support a healthier Britain for everyone.

Read more:

A Teetotal Britain? Learning from Faith Communities

Ramadan: Its Value to British Society and the Economy

About the Equi Ramadan Series: A five-part exploration of the often under-recognised contribution Ramadan makes to everyday life and social cohesion in modern Britain. The series builds towards Ramadan 2026 and previews an upcoming short report, Ramadan: Breaking Fast, Building Britain, to be published during the holy month.

Dr Mary Hunter is a Senior Researcher at Equi. Mary has previously worked for several think tanks. Most recently, she was Director of Research at the Policy Research Institute for South Asia (PRISA), with a focus on UK-South Asia relations. Prior to that, she was a Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Strategic and Contemporary Research (CSCR) in Pakistan researching cultural relations between the UK and Pakistan.

Dr Mamnun Khan, the author of Being British Muslims: Beyond Ethnocentric Religion and Identity Politics, is a British Muslim thinker and writer who explores identity, Islam, and the social integration of Muslims in contemporary Britain. His work critically examines the challenges and opportunities faced by British Muslims, advocating for a balanced God-centred approach that transcends ethnocentrism and ideological extremes.