Table 2.
Description of variables based on studies included in the present systematic review of Ramadan fasting effects on body weight
| Men | Women | Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variable | Mean* | sd | Range | n† | Mean* | sd | Range | n† | Mean* | sd | Range | n† |
| Sample size | 24·3 | 13·4 | 8–50 | 19 | 27·6 | 14·5 | 9–47 | 10 | 35·8 | 27·9 | 7–137 | 35 |
| Fasting duration (h/d) | 13·4 | 1·8 | 11–18 | 19 | 12·8 | 1·2 | 11–15 | 10 | 13·3 | 1·6 | 11–18 | 31 |
| Age (years) | 29·3 | 7·3 | 20·4–39·0 | 19 | 25·0 | 4·8 | 20·8–33·5 | 10 | 28·1 | 6·5 | 20·4–42·0 | 33 |
| Baseline BMI (kg/m2)‡ | 24·1 | 2·2 | 21·8–28·6 | 12 | 23·1 | 1·4 | 21·0–25·3 | 8 | 23·5 | 1·9 | 21·2–28·6 | 22 |
| Body weight (kg) | ||||||||||||
| Before Ramadan | 70·8 | 6·6 | 62·9–85·5 | 18 | 63·0 | 9·5 | 49·9–80·8 | 10 | 68·5 | 6·5 | 57·3–85·5 | 34 |
| End of Ramadan | 69·7 | 6·6 | 61·3–83·2 | 18 | 62·2 | 9·6 | 48·3–80·1 | 10 | 67·2 | 6·2 | 55·7–83·2 | 35 |
| After Ramadan | 69·7 | 5·1 | 62·6–82·4 | 7 | 67·7 | 11·5 | 49·2–80·5 | 6 | 69·5 | 5·8 | 56·9–80·5 | 16 |
| Energy intake (kJ/d) | ||||||||||||
| Before Ramadan | 9062 | 1949 | 6021–11 237 | 6 | 7137 | 1594 | 5242–10 216 | 7 | 7931 | 1923 | 4409–11 237 | 13 |
| End of Ramadan | 8940 | 2822 | 5078–13 443 | 7 | 6870 | 2297 | 4814–11 716 | 7 | 7914 | 2640 | 4903–13 443 | 14 |
| After Ramadan | 10 913 | 1250 | 8935–11 942 | 3 | 10 233 | 644 | 9713–11 011 | 2 | 9977 | 1636 | 7327–11 942 | 5 |
| % of daily energy intake from carbohydrate | ||||||||||||
| Before Ramadan | 58·9 | 6·0 | 50·5–63·9 | 3 | 56·5 | 4·8 | 48·8–63·0 | 3 | 58·0 | 5·0 | 48·8–63·9 | 8 |
| End of Ramadan | 59·8 | 8·7 | 51·4–77·1 | 4 | 54·3 | 7·0 | 39·9–60·0 | 3 | 56·7 | 8·0 | 39·9–77·1 | 9 |
| After Ramadan | 62·0 | 12·5 | 50·8–81·1 | 3 | 56·0 | 6·3 | 48·4–61·0 | 2 | 59·7 | 9·8 | 48·4–81·1 | 5 |
| % of daily energy intake from fat | ||||||||||||
| Before Ramadan | 26·7 | 4·9 | 23·0–33·7 | 3 | 31·7 | 3·9 | 26·0–37·1 | 3 | 28·5 | 4·9 | 18·3–37·1 | 8 |
| End of Ramadan | 23·5 | 7·5 | 10·6–33·0 | 4 | 33·0 | 6·5 | 24·0–43·2 | 3 | 28·7 | 8·4 | 10·6–43·2 | 9 |
| After Ramadan | 24·2 | 10·9 | 7·6–34·1 | 3 | 30·6 | 5·7 | 26·0–37·4 | 2 | 26·7 | 8·8 | 7·6–37·4 | 5 |
| % of daily energy intake from protein | ||||||||||||
| Before Ramadan | 13·7 | 1·0 | 13·0–15·1 | 3 | 12·8 | 0·7 | 12·2–14·1 | 3 | 13·5 | 1·4 | 12·2–20·0 | 8 |
| End of Ramadan | 13·0 | 1·8 | 11·2–15·5 | 4 | 13·7 | 1·5 | 12·9–16·9 | 3 | 13·5 | 1·9 | 11·2–20·3 | 9 |
| After Ramadan | 13·7 | 1·5 | 11·3–15·0 | 3 | 13·5 | 0·6 | 13·0–14·2 | 2 | 13·5 | 1·1 | 11·3–15·0 | 5 |
*Frequency-weighted mean for all variables except sample size and fasting duration.
†Number of studies included in each analysis.
‡BMI before or at the beginning of Ramadan.