Body weight loss and changes in blood lipid levels in normal men on hypocaloric diets during Ramadan fasting.

An investigation was conducted to study the changes in body weight and blood lipids during Ramadan fasting in men on hypocaloric diets. Sixteen healthy male college students were fed a high-carbohydrate diet for the first 2 wk (means 1696 kcal/d), followed by another 2 wk of high-fat diet (means 1834 kcal/d). Fasting blood samples were taken on days 0 (base line), 14, and 28 and were analyzed for triglycerides (TGs) and cholesterol. By the end of Ramadan, body weight, blood TGs, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-chol) had decreased significantly (p less than 0.05), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-chol) had increased, and total cholesterol had not changed compared with base-line values. The variance in blood lipid levels was explained by weight change through linear and curvilinear regression models. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the contrasting results reported by various investigators and they may be useful in regulating blood lipid levels through Ramadan fasting.