Introduction

Methods

Statistics

Results

Discussion

References

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to examine the cross-sectional relationship between Ramadan fasting as a spiritual factor with prolonged hunger and disordered eating behaviors. The study was conducted in June 2016 (11th–۲۹th days of Ramadan) and consisted of 238 fasting and 49 non-fasting adolescents. Risk of disordered eating was evaluated using the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) and Three Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18 (TFEQ-R18). Body image dissatisfaction was rated with Stunkard’s Figure Rating Scale (FRS). Nutritional status was assessed using a 24-hour dietary recall. There was no significant difference between energy intake, EAT-26 and TFEQ-R18 scores (except the emotional eating subscores) between the groups. FRS revealed that the comparisons of their “ideal” and self were not significantly different between the groups whereas the gap between the figures they think healthy and closest to self was significantly higher amongst non-fasting adolescents. Two-hundred and two (97.5%) adolescents reported fasting for religious purposes whereas only 8 (3.4%) for losing weight. The EAT-26 total scores were in the pathological range in 39 (16.8%) adolescents who fasted for religious purposes. This study suggests that motivation of adolescents to fast during Ramadan was due to spiritual decisions rather than weight control or other factors and Ramadan fasting was not correlated with disordered eating behaviors or body image dissatisfaction.

Introduction

During the past-half century, especially in the Western world, interesting contradictions concerning eating regulation have been discussed. Increases in body image concerns and restricted eating (Boutelle, Neumark-Sztainer, Story, & Resnick, 2002; J. K. Thompson & Stice, 2001) have emerged, yet at the same time, a dramatic increase in overweight and obesity is being witnessed (Ogden, Yanovski, Carroll, & Flegal, 2007; Polivy & Herman, 2004). Eating disorders and obesity are part of a range of weight-related problems and the evidence suggests that these disorders have both shared and distinct risk factors. Adolescents may suffer from more than one disorder or may progress from one problem to another at varying degrees of severity (Day, Ternouth, & Collier, 2009). Genetic, biological, developmental, social, familial and psychological risk factors play a role in the development of eating disorders (Striegel-Moore & Bulik, 2007). The emergence of eating disorders in non-Western societies as well as Western societies, may be related to the exposure of media which encourages and glamourizes thinness (Groesz, Levine, & Murnen, 2002; Willinge, Touyz, & Charles, 2006). Furthermore, several studies have shown that both ethnic and cultural differences influence the way a person perceives his/her body image and ideal body weight. The role of sociocultural factors is an important research area in the pathogenesis of eating behaviors (Groesz et al., 2002).