Souq level of municipal administration. The Muhtasib was responsible for supervising business practices and collecting taxes for a given souq while the Arif are the overseers for a specific trade. Shopping at a souq or market place is part of daily life throughout much of the Middle East. Prices are commonly set by bargaining, also known as haggling, between buyers and sellers. In the 18th and 19th centuries, as Europeans began to conquer parts of North Africa and the Levant, an interest in Middle Eastern culture and architecture began to flourish. This interest spawned a genre of literary works and paintings
Obesity in the Middle East and North Africa Isfahan had switched to liquid oil and olive oil, rather than using hydrogenated oil, and consumed more healthy foods. Fruit, vegetables, fish, and low-fat dairy products were preferred over sausages, animal fat, and sweets. The Fat Consumption Index was lower after the campaign than before it. The Egyptian government produced a Demographic and Health Survey in 2008, covering topics from family planning to maternal health care to nutrition. Chapter 14 was dedicated to nutritional statistics and specifically mentioned obesity. It did not discuss future policy plans to address the rising trend of obesity. Obesity in the Middle East and North