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Jordan urges healthy eating during holy month 

The public-service TV ads deliver a cheerful, yet pointed, message to Muslims observing Ramadan's traditional dawn to dusk fast: "Don't overeat" when night comes. "Exercise and stay healthy."

The government media campaign - one of the Arab world's first - aims to combat the serious health problems, from heart attacks to diabetic comas, that often mark Islam's holy month. . . .

Another cartoon tackles smoking - a major health problem in most Arab countries. Half of Jordan's population is believed to smoke, despite a largely ignored ban on smoking in public.

In that cartoon, the same Arab husband and father, Abu-Saleem, tries to help a friend kick the habit after being forced to stop smoking by his own doctor. The friend has stopped smoking during daylight to observe Ramadan, Abu-Saleem notes - so why not stop altogether?

"I can't," the friend answers. "But if I could, Ramadan would be sweet indeed."

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