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cohort·public health, endocrinology, epidemiology, nutrition, family medicine·PMC10021413

Ramadan fasting and weight change trajectories: Time-varying association of weight during and after Ramadan in low-income and refugee populations

PLOS Global Public Health · 6 authors, 10 centres

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TL;DR

This study analyzed weekly weight measurements over 52 weeks to describe weight change patterns during and after Ramadan in a population with diabetes or at-risk for diabetes. The central result is a trajectory showing slight weight gain in the first two weeks, followed by weight loss, then significant weight gain peaking around week 26, and a sharp drop before stabilization.

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The study is a secondary analysis of weekly weight data from 913 participants in a weight loss intervention trial in Amman, Jordan. Limitations include the data being from a specific trial, potential confounding from unmeasured factors like physical activity, and limited generalizability due to the study's timing and location. The findings suggest weight fluctuations occur during and after Ramadan, which may have health implications and could inform public health interventions.

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cohort

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public health

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ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10021413

Ramadan fasting and weight change trajectories: Time-varying association of weight during and after Ramadan in low-income and refugee populations

PLOS Global Public Health

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ABSTRACT

Abstract Obesity is a significant driver of the global burden of non-communicable diseases. Fasting is one approach that has been shown to improve health outcomes. However, the effects of Ramadan fasting differ in that the type, frequency, quantity, and time of food consumption vary. This phenomenon requires in-depth evaluation considering that 90% of Muslims (~2 billion people) fast during Ramadan. To address this issue, we evaluated the pattern of weight change during and following Ramadan for a total of 52 weeks. The study was conducted in Amman, Jordan. Between 2012 and 2015, 913 participants were recruited as part of a trial investigating the efficacy of a weight loss intervention among those with or at risk for diabetes. Weight was measured weekly starting at the beginning of Ramadan, and changes were analyzed using discrete and spline models adjusted for age, sex, and trial group. Results show slight weight gain within the first two weeks and weight loss in the subsequent weeks. During the first week of Ramadan, the estimate for a weight reduction was 0·427 kg, (95% CI: -0·007, 0·861), increasing to 1·567 kg, (95% CI: 2·547, 3·527) at week 26. There was clear evidence of gradual weight gain from about 4 to 15 weeks and a drop towards the end of the investigation at week 28 (-0·12kg, 95% CI: -0·89, 0·56). Our results show that weight changes occurred during and after Ramadan. Weight fluctuations may affect health risks, and thus, findings from this study can inform interventions. Public health agencies could leverage this period of dietary change to sustain some of the benefits of fasting. The authors (DEZ, EFD) acknowledge the Mulago Foundation, the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the World Diabetes Foundation. TRIAL REGISTRATION. Clinicaltrials.gov registry identifier: NCT01596244 .

CITATION EXPORT

Daniel E Zoughbie, Tin Lok James Ng, Jacqueline Y Thompson et al.. Ramadan fasting and weight change trajectories: Time-varying association of weight during and after Ramadan in low-income and refugee populations. PLOS Global Public Health. (2022). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0000371

AUTHORS

6 · 10 CENTRES

Daniel E Zoughbie, Tin Lok James Ng, Jacqueline Y Thompson, Kathleen T Watson, Rami Farraj, Eric L Ding

1Microclinic International Social Network Research Group, San Francisco, California, United States of America
2Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
3New England Institute of Complex Systems, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
4Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
5Institute of Applied Health Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
6Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, United States of America
7Jordanian Royal Health Awareness Society, Amman, Jordan
8Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
9Federation of American Scientists, Washington, DC, United States of America
10University of Bristol, UNITED KINGDOM