Effects of fasting and a medium calorie balanced diet during the holy month Ramadan on weight, BMI and some blood parameters of overweight males.

Fasting during holy month, Ramadan, is a religious obligation for all adult healthy Muslims. During this month Muslims are allowed to eat and drink between sunset and dawn. However, they are not allowed to eat and drink after dawn. To assess the effects of fasting on weight, BMI (Body Mass Index) and some blood indices, we recruited 28 overweight male volunteers aged 20-26 years. They were on a balanced diet of 2000 calories, containing 70 g protein, 350 g carbohydrate and 35.5 g lipid during Ramadan, while they were on a free diet before Ramadan. Subjects were requested to drink more than 6 glasses (about 1.5 L) of water or fruit juice every night between sunset to dawn during Ramadan. Serum levels of glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride as well as weight and BMI were measured in all subjects one day before and after Ramadan. Fasting resulted in significant (p<0.05) decreases in the mean values of both, weight and the BMI. Similarly, the mean values of glucose and cholesterol were significantly decreased in subjects after Ramadan, although none of these decreases reached to a level with pathological significance. Conversely, no significant changes in serum levels of triglyceride were noted.