The Effect of Ramadan Fasting on Body Anthropometric Measurements, Hematological Indices and Serum Lipid Profile in Ghanaians

Abstract

Background: Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar calendar during which fasting is prescribed for every healthy adult Muslim. Intermittent fasting and caloric restriction, or alternate-day feeding, had been shown to have effect on some physiological and biochemical parameters in the body. Ramadan fasting is considered a unique model of intermittent fasting as food and fluid intake becomes exclusively nocturnal without restriction on the type or amount of food intake. During this fasting period Muslims refrain from food, liquids and smoking during daylight hours and eat a large meal after sundown. This custom provides a unique opportunity to study the hematological and serum lipid profile changes as well as caloric intake over Ramadan time. Aim The aim of this study is to determine the effect of Ramadan fasting on hematological indices, caloric intake, lipid profile and anthropometric parameters among Ghanaian Muslims. Methodology The study was a prospective study which involved 200 healthy fasting Muslims (83 males and 117 females) recruited from the Sabon Zongo community of Accra within the age range of 15 to 60 years old for 30 days of Ramadan fasting from 6th June to 5th July, 2016. A questionnaire was administered to obtain the demographic data of all participants as well as their diet history. Venous blood samples (5 ml) were drawn from each of the participants pre and post Ramadan fasting. Full blood count was done using Mindray BC- 6800 Auto Analyzer (Sysmex KX21 N, Japan). Lipid profile was determined using the chemistry analyzer. Anthropometric measurements were obtained using the digital scale and sphygmomanometer was used to obtain blood pressure. Result There was a decrease in weight (70.59±18.25 vs 70.01±19.43)kg, percentage body fat (34.04±12.18 vs 33.02±12.36)%, systolic blood pressure (132.32±24.84 vs 130.37±22.06)mmHg and BMI (26.83±7.75 vs 26.39±6.70)kg/m2 between the pre- fasting and the fasting periods but the difference was not significant (p= 0.647, 0.466, 0.655 and 0.402 respectively). Whiles percentage muscle mass was found to increase significantly (28.11±6.04 vs 28.25±6.68) following Ramadan fasting with P-value of 0.026. The pre-fasting and fasting white blood cells (3.52± 1.15 vs 3.81 ± 1.91), red blood cells (4.72 ± 0.57 vs 4.54 ± 0.63), hematocrits (41.86 ± 4.77 vs 42.59 ± 6.77) and hemoglobin (12.67 ± 1.74 vs 15.17 ± 19.74) levels show no statistically significant changes with P-value of 0.377, 0.176, 0.557 and 0.419 respectively. There was a decreased total caloric intake with increased fatty food intake (160.65 ± 152.24 and 198.32 ± 353.16) following. Also a statistically significant increase was observed in all the lipid profile parameters following fasting TC (3.10 ± 0.45 vs 4.25± 0.87), HDL (1.31 ± 0.17 vs 1.55 ± 0.20), LDL (1.62 ± 0.41 vs 2.30 ± 0.86) and TG (0.592 ± 0.121 vs 0.791 ± 0.231) with P-value of <0.001, <0.001, 0.001 and <0.001 respectively. Conclusion It is concluded from this study that even though Ramadan fasting decreases weight, percentage body fat, BMI, hematological changes the effect was not significant. Whereas the percentage muscle mass, blood pressure, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein, triglycerides, total cholesterol and fatty food intake were increased significantly during Ramadan fasting in Ghanaian Muslims. This study reports the primary data on the effect of Ramadan fasting on hematological indices, caloric intake, lipid profile and anthropometric parameters among Ghanaian Muslims