Table 2.
Fasting characteristics of participating pupils in JHS
| Characteristic | Summary values |
|---|---|
| Age started fasting (n = 366), mean ± SD | 11.2 ± 2.5a |
| Days fasted during Ramadan (n = 366), mean ± SD | 28.3 ± 3.6d |
| Fasting duration within a day (hours) (n = 366), mean ± SD | 14.3 ± 0.54b |
| Days missed fasting (mean ± SD) | 1.73 ± 3.59d |
| Reasons for missing fasting, n (%) | |
| Could not wake up in good time | 7 (6.7)c |
| Was sick | 42 (40.0)c |
| Menstruation (girls) | 52 (49.5)c |
| Others | 4 (3.8)c |
| Parents fasting? (n = 363), n (%) | |
| Yes | 356 (98.1) |
| Encouragement to fast (n = 351), n (%) | |
| Father | 142 (40.5)b |
| Mother | 140 (39.9)b |
| Sibling | 15 (4.3)b |
| Uncle | 13 (3.7)b |
| Spiritual leader | 3 (0.9)b |
| Others | 38 (10.8)b |
| Reasons for fasting (n = 334), n (%) | |
| Spiritual growth (blessing) | 144 (43.1)b |
| It is compulsory | 80 (24.0)b |
| Parents fasting | 27 (8.1)b |
| For good health | 10 (3.0)b |
| Other reasons | 73 (21.9)b |
| Continued fasting after Ramadan (n = 366), n (%) | |
| No | 220 (60.1)d |
| Days fasted after Ramadan (n = 146), mean ± SD | 5.38 ± 1.55d |
| Reasons for fasting after Ramadan (n = 146), n (%) | |
| Obeying religious recommendation | 83 (56.8)d |
| Replacing missed days | 52 (35.6)d |
| Others | 11 (7.5)d |
| Sickness during Ramadan? (n = 366), n (%) | |
| No | 231 (63.1)c |
| Type of sickness during Ramadan (n = 135), n (%) | |
| Malaria | 30 (22.2)c |
| Diarrhoea | 35 (25.9)c |
| Others | 70 (51.9)c |
| Source of midline fasting food (n = 366), n (%) | |
| Gifts | 35 (9.6) |
| Purchase | 87 (23.8) |
| Home | 236 (64.5) |
| others | 8 (2.2) |
| Source of end line fasting food (n = 366), n (%) | |
| Gifts | 42 (11.5) |
| Buying | 74 (20.2) |
| Home | 243 (66.4) |
| Others | 7 (1.9) |
ameasured at baseline bmeasured at midline cmeasured at endline dmeasured at post Ramadan