Religious fasting and its effect on metabolic health of adults
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Date
2023
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Punjab Agricultural University
Abstract
A two-phased study was conducted to investigate the effects of religious fasting on metabolic health of adults in Ludhiana, Punjab. The initial phase encompassed the analysis of sociodemographic data and fasting practices of 500 subjects to assess the types of religious fasting prevalent in the age group of 30-40 years. In Phase II, 90 adult females were selected purposively and categorized into: non-fasting (control), once-a-week fasting (Group A), and
seasonal fasting (Group B). This phase delved into their dietary intake, body composition, biochemical and anthropometric parameters, physical activity, and meal patterns to evaluate the impact of religious fasting on metabolic health. The results indicated a moderate active lifestyle among the subjects. The BMI categories showed that non-fasting individuals had a higher occurrence of being pre-obese and obese. On fasting days, the intake of food and
nutrients was reduced by more than half in both fasting groups, with only carbohydrate and vitamin C intake being adequate. Fasting groups showed enhanced metabolic markers, with increased HDL-Cholesterol, decreased total cholesterol, optimized VLDL-Cholesterol, and stable blood glucose levels during fasting. The study suggested that religious fasting, especially the seasonal fasting, provide metabolic health benefits and has the potential to
mitigate risk factors. However, individual outcomes were observed to vary based on dietary choices and other intrinsic factors. The study underscores the significance of maintaining a balanced diet during fasting periods and the imperative of seeking medical consultation before embarking on such regimens.
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Citation
Sooch, Jasmine (2023). Religious fasting and its effect on metabolic health of adults (Unpublished M.Sc. thesis). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.