Health experts, scholars call for more research on fasting by diabetics

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, hundreds of millions of Muslims around the globe fasted in Ramazan last year, and this year too an overwhelmingly large number of people wish to keep fasts, but those suffering from chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease should consult their doctors and physicians for safe fasting and to reap the physical and spiritual benefits of fasting.

These observations were made by Islamic scholars and health experts at an international health conference on Saturday.

“There are some extreme views that fasting is very harmful for the diabetes patients in all circumstances, and there are some who say fasting should be practised [even] in worst [health] conditions, but I think medical practitioners will be in a better position to explain to the patients as to how they should fast safely,” renowned Islamic scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani said while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 7th International Diabetes and Ramazan Conference 2021.

The two-day online conference, organised by the Baqai Institute of Diabetology and Endocrinology (BIDE) Karachi, in collaboration with the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), Ramadan and Hajj Study Group and Diabetes and Ramadan (DAR) International Alliance, was addressed top health experts, including diabetologists, endocrinologists, consultant dietitians and researchers, from Africa, Europe, Middle East, South Asia and the United States.

The current president as well as the president-elect of International Diabetes Federation (IDF), Prof Andrew Boulton and Prof Akhtar Hussain, were the key speakers, while Director BIDE Prof Abdul Basit, conference organising committee chairman Prof Yakoob Ahmedani, the IDF MENA region’s Prof Jemal Belkhadir, Chairperson DAR International Alliance Dr M Hassanein and Dr Saiul Haq also spoke at the inaugural ceremony.

Mufti Taqi Usmai said millions of Muslims in the world suffer from different chronic illnesses, especially diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, but they also want to observe fasting in the holy month of Ramazan and want to know the

medical facts and expert opinion whether they can fast or not.

“It is very welcoming that top health experts from different countries of the world would discuss issues like safe fasting by people with different health conditions, especially in the Covid-19 era,” he added.

President International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Prof Andrew Boulton said fasting in Ramazan is one of the five fundamental principles of Islam and people with diabetes really need to know how to look after their diabetes and glycemic control in the holy month.

“Ramazan this is year is more important as there is the Covid-19 pandemic and I hope this meeting will discuss this issue too and answer all the questions in the minds of people with diabetes about their diet, exercise and management of their medicines whether they are taking oral medicines or injectables,” Prof Boulton said, adding that international experts from different countries of the world would be presenting their research on the issue of making fasting safer for the Muslims.

Another eminent diabetologist from Norway and president-elect of the International Diabetes Federation, Prof Akhter Hussain, said studies show that over 80 per cent of people with diabetes like to fast in Ramazan, while a study conducted in 2010 revealed that around 95 per cent of people with type 2 diabetes fasted for 15 days while 65 per cent diabetics fasted for the whole month.

“Unfortunately, one in three people with diabetes don’t get proper education as how they can fast safely in the holy month. I’m glad that research in the area of diabetes and Ramazan has increased significantly during the last five years, but there are still several areas where further research is required to answer questions about different populations and where food habits are different.”

One of the key questions that comes into the minds of people is whether fasting is beneficial or harmful for the people with diabetes, he said, adding that people also want to know the best diet they should take at the time of Sahoor and Iftaar that prevents them from hypo and hyperglycemia.

Prof Yakoob Ahmedani said the people with diabetes and other comorbidities should visit their physician at least six to eight weeks before the start of Ramazan while there is also a need to educate doctors and healthcare teams so that they could help people in fasting safely.

Director BIDE and renowned diabetologist Prof Abdul Basit said in 2013, issues related to diabetes and Ramazan were discussed in Manchester, UK, and since then it has been a long journey where a lot of research, guidelines and recommendations have been presented for safe fasting.

He maintained that experts associated with their institutes had so far generated over 27 publications of international standard, while efforts were underway to conduct more research and present scientific evidence on safe fasting for people with diabetes. He thanked the IDF and allied bodies for their cooperation in the conference.