Abstract:
The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Ramadan fasting on body mass index (BMI)
and on certain biochemical parameters of serum in women patients with non-insulin dependent
diabetes mellitus. Sixty-six subjects from 3 regions located in the west of Algeria participated in this
study. All participating patients were studied a week before Ramadan and at the third week of Ramadan
fasting. No statistically significant fluctuations were noted in BMI either during Ramadan or in nonfasting
days. However, the rates of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) decreased slightly (P < 0.05)
during the last week of the month of Ramadan among the diabetic patients. Also, the glucose levels
were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the serum subjects of patients during the fasting period when
compared to the level before Ramadan. This could be due to the significant decrease (P < 0.05) of
insulin levels in patients during the fasting period. The rates of HDL cholesterol recorded in the blood
among patients rose significantly (p < 0.05) during the Ramadan than during the non-fasting period. The
statistically significant increase in HDL-cholesterol explains clearly the beneficial effect of Ramadan
fasting on diabetic’s serum lipids. Moreover, serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol and
VLDL cholesterol levels decreased significantly (p < 0.05) during the third week of Ramadan than nonfasting
day.
As
for
proteinous
compounds
(protein,
creatin
and
urea),
their
plasmatic
rates
all
increased
substantially
(p
<
0.05)
in
patients
during
the
fasting
period
of
the
month
of
Ramadan.
