key: cord-0990405-difn43na
authors: Ghram, Amine; Saad, Helmi Ben; Briki, Walid; Jiménez-Pavón, David; Mansoor, Hend; Moalla, Wassim; Akbari, Hesam Addin; Ghram, Abdeljelil; Al-Mohannadi, Abdulla Saeed; Arena, Ross; Lavie, Carl J
title: Ramadan Intermittent Fasting, Physical Activity, and COVID-19 Pandemic in Patients with Chronic Diseases
date: 2021-05-26
journal: Am J Med
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2021.04.035
sha: bdd3dd6488a426a58892e6ad66635676babb8b16
doc_id: 990405
cord_uid: difn43na

nan

Ramadan 2021 is expected to begin on April 13, 2021, following the sighting of the moon. The practice of Ramadan entails refraining from eating food, drinking liquids, and other activities, such as smoking and sexual intercourse. From a medical standpoint, Ramadan intermittent fasting can be considered as a dietary intervention through which people intermittently fast with the potential benefit of improving the overall health.

Importantly, the 2021 Ramadan is one of the most challenging fasting periods for Muslims given the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; the discovery of new

Coronavirus mutations and persistent outbreaks around the globe continue to be of significant concern. In particular, coronavirus variants might be associated with increased mortality and have an impact on the individual's immune response and the effectiveness of newly developed coronavirus vaccines 1 . It is important to note that there is currently a lack of information on reasons for vaccination hesitancy, in particular the reluctance to receive the vaccination during this Islamic month of fasting over concern the vaccination invalidates the While preventive health measures aim to hinder the spread of COVID-19, there is a serious concern on the health status of vulnerable patient populations 8 In conclusion, the practice of fasting can improve the immune system, and the body's resistance to bacterial infections. An individual's decision on whether to fast or not, is influenced by several factors, such as knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and physician's recommendations, as well as hesitancy surrounding safety concerns. Participating in regular physical activity while fasting and receiving a COVID-19 vaccination are important strategies to reduce risk of infection and improve general health. As this time, guidelines specifically tailored to patient populations engaged in fasting on how to perform physical activity during a pandemic are lacking, a knowledge gap that should be addressed in the future. In addition, health professionals must exercise sound judgment in providing physical activity recommendations to patients with medical conditions who choose to fast.

Risk of mortality in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern 202012/1: matched cohort study

Ramadan and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy-a call for action. The Lancet

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