The effect of Ramadan fasting on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients: a prospective observational study

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Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare biochemical tests, body composition and anthropometric parameters in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) patients before and after Ramadan fasting. Methods: fifty NAFLD patients including 33 males and 17 females aged 18-65 year, were recruited. Subjects attended after diagnosis based on  ultrasound imaging, with at least 10 hour fasting, before and after Ramadan who were been fasting for at least 10 days. A fasting blood sample was obtained, blood pressure was measured and body mass index(BMI) and fat mass (FM) and fat free mass (FFM) were calculated. Lipid profile, fasting blood sugar (FBS),insulin, ALT and AST enzymes were analyzed on all blood samples. Result: There was a significant increase in HDL-c in females and  higher total plasma cholesterol, triglyceride (TG) and FBS in both gender while lower systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and ALT  decreasing after Ramadan (P<0.05, t test), the change in BMI, LDL- c, FM and FFM after Ramadan were not significant (P>0.05, t test). Conclusion: This study shows significant effects on NAFLD patient  parameters during Ramadan fasting  such as decreasing in insulin, ALT enzyme, SBP and DBP and increasing in HDL-c  after an average of 27 d fasting, Result from this study suggested that Ramadan fasting may be useful to improve NAFLD, so further studies are needed in this area.