title: Intermittent fasting during Ramadan causes a transient increase in total, LDL, and HDL cholesterols and hs-CRP in ethnic obese adolescents.
abstract: The radical change of lifestyle during Ramadan fast has shown to affect cardiometabolic risk variables in adults. In youth, however, no studies are available. We aimed to evaluate the effect of Ramadan fast on Body Mass Index (BMI) and the cardiometabolic profile of obese adolescents. A prospective cohort study was conducted. We measured weight, height, body composition, blood pressure, heart rate, glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels before, during the last week of and at 6 weeks after Ramadan. Twenty-five obese adolescents were included. BMI and glucose metabolism did not change after Ramadan or at 6 week after cessation of Ramadan. At the end of Ramadan, a significant decrease in body fat percentage was observed, while significant increases in heart rate, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and hs-CRP were found (all P < 0.05). Six weeks after Ramadan, all parameters returned to baseline levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this sample of 25 ethnic obese adolescents transient cardiometabolic changes were observed during Ramadan fasting. Since most of these changes were reversible within 6 weeks, there seems no harm or benefit for obese adolescents to participate in Ramadan.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Slotervaart Hospital, Louwesweg 6, 1066 EC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Nalini.Radhakishun@slz.nl.
authors: Nalini
authors: N
authors: Radhakishun
authors: Charlotte
authors: C
authors: Blokhuis
authors: Mariska
authors: M
authors: van Vliet
authors: Ines
authors: I
authors: von Rosenstiel
authors: Olivier
authors: O
authors: Weijer
authors: Martijn
authors: M
authors: Heymans
authors: Jos
authors: J
authors: Beijnen
authors: Dees
authors: D
authors: Brandjes
authors: Michaela
authors: M
authors: Diamant
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005006:Ethnicity; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol