A study of the fasting diabetic patients during the month of Ramadan
Mafauzy, M.; Mohammed, W.B.; Anum, M.Y.; Zulkifli, A.; Ruhani, A.H.
Medical Journal of Malaysia 45(1): 14-17
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-5283 PMID: 2152063 Document Number: 354430
22 Muslim diabetic patients on oral hypoglycaemic agents were studied to determine the effect of fasting on their diabetic control. All completed their fast during the month of Ramadan. Their mean (+or- standard deviation) blood glucose, serum fructosamine and body weight before the fasting month were 10.7+or-4.6, 6.64+or-3.64 mmol/litre and 60.5+or-12.6 kg and by the end of the fasting month were 10.9+or-4.4, 4.34+or-1.08 mmol/litre and 59.8+or-12.3 kg respectively. There was no significant difference between the blood glucose levels but there were significant reductions in the mean body weight and fructosamine values (P = 0.001 and P = 0.03 respectively). The mean decrease in body weight and fructosamine were 0.7+or-1.3 kg and 2.29+or-3.09 mmol/litre respectively. There were also significant differences between the mean daily energy content before and during the fasting month (1480+or-326 vs. 1193+or-378 kcal/day - P<0.005) and between the mean daily carbohydrate content (389+or-298 vs. 187+or-46 g/day - P<0.005). It is concluded that fasting was safe for diabetics on oral hypoglycaemic agents and it was associated with weight reduction and improvement in the overall diabetic control. This was most likely due to decreased food intake.