Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Fasting during the month of Ramadan is the most observed religious practice by Muslims. Diabetes is one of the condition that exempt Muslims from fasting because of the risk of complications. The International Diabetes Federation states that high-risk patients ‘should not fast’. The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate the daily food intake during the month of Ramadan in non-fasting patients with diabetes in order to detect diet mistakes made during this month.

Patients and methods: Descriptive study conducted in 66 patients with diabetes.

Results: The average age was 51,33 years with a sex ratio of 0,5. Twenty-two patients had type 1 diabetes and 44 patients had insulin-requiring type 2 diabetes. During the month of Ramadan the average daily intake in Kcal increased by 6,7% (P=NS). There was a significant increase in protein intake at the expense of animal protein (P=0.019); a significant increase in lipid intake with increased cholesterol intake (P=0.002) and a decrease in carbohydrate intake despite a significant increase in sucrose consumption (P=0.008). The diet was low in fiber, iron, magnesium and folic acid with a significant increase in calcium intake (P=0.005). In addition, there was a poor distribution of meals, with a decrease in breakfast and lunch, in favor of dinner, which corresponded to ‘el iftar’ (P respectively 0.027, 0.001 and 0.024).

Conclusion: The results of our study reflect the nutritional errors made by our patients during Ramadan. These data testify to the complexity of diabetes management which is difficult even in normal times. A preparation before Ramadan and a continuous educational approach are recommended, with an educational support adapted to the local context during the holy month.