Global obesity rates have been rising for decades, and a new analysis shows the increase. As of 2022, over 1 billion people worldwide were living with obesity, researchers reported in The Lancet. This is about one-eighth of the global population. Obesity rates among adults have more than doubled since 1990, and have quadrupled among children and adolescents
And this is a sorry state of affairs for us! It is disliked in our religion if we eat more than what is enough to satisfy our hunger.
At-Tabari (a scholar of the Qur’an) said: But eating one’s fill, even though it is permissible, has its limits, and anything beyond that is extravagance. That which is permissible of it is that which helps the eater to obey his Lord and its heaviness does not distract him from doing what is enjoined upon him.
Once a man approached Umar ibn Khattab RA with a big belly.
Umar asked him, ‘What is this (referring to his stomach)?’
He replied, ‘This is a blessing from Allah.’ Umar responded, “Rather this is a punishment from Allah.”
And preached, “O people, beware of gluttony in eating. Verily, it causes laziness in prayer, it harms the body, and it contracts disease. Rather, you must be moderate in your provisions, for it is closer to righteousness, further from extravagance, and stronger for the worship of Allah swt. Verily, a servant is not destroyed unless he prefers his desires over his religion.”
Miqdam bin Madikarib said:
“I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, ‘A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third for air.’”