Effects of Modified Ramadan Fasting on Mental Well-Being and Biomarkers in Healthy Adult Muslims — A Randomised Controlled Trial

Abstract

Abstract Background Ramadan fasting has seen increased attention in research, often with inconsistent findings. This study aims to investigate whether dietary and lifestyle modifications during Ramadan can improve well-being and health in healthy adult Muslims. Method A randomised controlled trial with two parallel groups was conducted in an outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Essen, Germany, in 2016. Healthy adult Muslims (n = 114) aged 18–60 years were randomised to a modified fasting group; i.e., they received educational material prompting dietary and lifestyle modifications pre-Ramadan, and a control group who undertook Ramadan fasting as usual. Primary outcome was quality of life (WHO-5 Well-Being Index). Secondary outcomes included sleep quality, spirituality, and mindfulness (all self-report), body weight, body mass index, body fat, waist circumference, hip circumference, blood pressure, and heart rate, as well as blood serum biomarkers. Safety was examined via adverse events. Results The modified fasting group reported significantly higher quality of life (WHO-5) compared to the control after Ramadan (MD 5.9; 95% CI, 0.02–11.8; p < 0.05). Group differences in favour of the modified fasting were also found for satisfaction with health (MD 5.9, 95% CI 0.19–11.67), ease of life (MD 4.1, 95% CI 0.38–7.80) and mindfulness (MD 7.6, 95% CI 2.68–12.52), reductions in weight (MD, − 0.9 kg; 95% CI − 1.39 to − 0.42), BMI (MD − 0.3 kg/m2, 95% CI − 0.50 to − 0.15), hip circumference (MD − 0.3 kg/m2, 95% CI − 0.50 to − 0.15), and diastolic blood pressure (MD − 2.8 mmHg, 95% CI − 5.15 to − 0.43). About 60% of participants reported adverse events, mostly headaches/migraines, dizziness/fatigue, common cold, and gastrointestinal symptoms, with no group differences. One serious non-related adverse event each occurred in both groups. Conclusion Pre-Ramadan dietary and lifestyle advice can lead to short-term improvements in mental and physical well-being of adult Muslims observing Ramadan. As such, this study demonstrates the potential benefits of culturally appropriate health interventions in a religious context. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier NCT02775175).