Impact of intermittent dietary restriction on the health-related outcomes of faith-based fasting

Abstract

Abstract Background and purpose For much of the history of studying the effects of intermittent fasting on the health of people who engage in fasting for religious reasons, there has been no conclusive evidence-based consensus on the health outcomes of this form of intervallic fasting. The purpose of the present study is to examine the health-related outcomes of intermittent faith-based fasting. Whereas there are several forms of faith-based and non-faith based fasting, the present study will be primarily dedicated to examining the health effects associated with one of the most ubiquitous forms of religious fasting practiced globally by the preponderance of the eligible adults among 1.8 billion Muslims, which is fasting during the annual Islamic month of Ramadan. Therefore, Ramadan fasting provides a significant research paradigm to investigate the health effects of intervallic fasting in humans. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis methodology was employed to search major databases, printed books, and official web-based electronic publications to identify and select a multitude of relevant peer-reviewed studies on the health effects of faith-based intermittent fasting. The data garnered from the selected studies were systematically reviewed, analyzed, and combined. The findings were compared and examined to evaluate whether there were patterns of significant or no significant results of specific health-related effects associated with intermittent faith-based fasting. Results The systematic review and data analysis suggest that Ramadan intermittent fasting is associated with both health risks and health benefits. The most vulnerable group of people who are most at risk for exposure to adverse health effects of fasting are those individuals who fast Ramadan with underlying pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes, asthma, kidney, and cardiovascular diseases, which can be exacerbated by the daily fasting for long hours. Conclusions The health outcomes of intermittent fasting and voluntary caloric restriction are prefatory and inconclusive The findings of the present study suggest that there is scientific evidence to support the hypothesis that intermittent fasting and forms of meal timing schedules may be associated with both favorable and unfavorable health outcomes. Fasting individuals with adverse pre-exciting health conditions would benefit significantly from seeking a pre-Ramadan medical evaluation, personalized dietary counseling, and Ramadan fasting-tailored health and wellness education as imperative interventions to avert potential medical crises and reduce any further health complications.