Ramadan fasting and weight loss

Unexplained weight loss is a noticeable drop in body weight that occurs even if the person is not trying to lose weight. It is not a result of diet control, exercise, or lifestyle changes. It is considered dangerous when at least five per cent of the body weight is lost in six months. This kind of weight loss can be the symptom of a serious illness, particularly among the people who are over 65 years old. However, weight loss may occur to anyone even when there are no other symptoms of chronic infection, such as AIDS, cancer, or tuberculosis. Some common causes of unexplained weight loss are depression, anxiety, drug abuse, stress, diarrhoea, eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, diabetes, and overactive thyroid.
For Muslims around the world, the holy month of Ramadan is a time for fasting every day from sunrise to sunset. But it is also a time, when many people feel like that they must lose weight in Ramadan. In my view, it is not at all a right purpose. Rather, it should be a month of healthy eating habits. In medical science, fasting is considered highly beneficial for health. It helps us prevent and treat metabolic syndrome, which is a major risk factor for many neurological diseases. So, we should not target the holy month of Ramadan for losing our goal of weight loss. If anyone wants to do that, they must consult a dietician, nutritionist, or even physician for that.
Dr Sayed Inam,
drsaayedinam@yahoo.com