Abstract

In this study, our aim was to assess the impact of fasting during Ramadan on biochemical and anthropological factors in patients with type 2 diabetes and compare them with those who did not fast. This was a prospective study. It was carried out in the city of Yazd, Iran, during Ramadan of 2016. Body weight, height, waist circumference, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), lipids, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and fructosamine levels before and after Ramadan were assessed on 120 diabetic patients; 60 of whom had fasting, and 60 had no intention. Fifty-four patients from the fasting group (including 34 fasters with 10- to 25-day fasting (group 1) and 20 fasters with >25-day fasting (group 2)) and 58 patients from the non-fasting group (group 3) completed the study. This study showed that the mean BMI in three groups significantly decreased, and the highest decrement was seen in group 1 at the end of Ramadan (p value <0.001). Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) increased in fasting groups and decreased in the non-fasting group (p value >0.01). Fructosamine was increased in all groups, and the highest increment was seen in group 2 after Ramadan (p value <0.001). We observed that glycemic status and LDL-C levels worsened after Ramadan in T2DM patients, and beneficial effects of Ramadan on anthropometric factors are not limited to fasters, and other non-faster Muslims also showed weight reduction after Ramadan.