Effects of fasting on anthropometric parameters, chronic diseases and geriatric scales

Aim: Fasting is the absence of oral intake from sunrise to sunset. Fasting is a religious event that lasts 29-30 days each year. However, the effects of fasting for 1 month on the human body are not clearly known. There are different results in studies conducted globally for this purpose. The number of studies investigating the effect on the geriatric population is limited. In our country, there are a limited number of studies on the subject. Therefore, we aimed to determine the changes that occurred by comparing anthropometric measurements, laboratory tests and geriatric tests of patients over 65 years of age before and after fasting. Materials and Methods: Patients who were admitted to the outpatient clinics of Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatrics were included in the study. Laboratory tests, anthropometric measurements and geriatric test measurements of patients over 65 years of age were analyzed using SPSS23.0 package before and after fasting. Results: The study included 133 patients. Of the study population, 77 (57.9%) were younger than 65 years and 56 (42.1%) were 65 years and older. At the end of the study, a statistically significant decrease in waist circumference (p=0.015), decrease in body muscle mass (p=0.005), decrease in water percentage (p=0.15) and increase in fat percentage (p=0.005) were found. In laboratory measurements, a statistically significant increase in creatinine (p=0.000), decrease in albumin (<0.001), decrease in total cholesterol (p=0.001), decrease in LDL (p=0.001), decrease in HDL (p=0.001), decrease in VLDL (p<0.001) were observed. In the second measurement of geriatric tests performed on patients over 65 years of age, there was a statistically significant increase in the 4-meter walk test (p=0.002), increase in the SARC-F test (p=0.035), decrease in the MMT (p=0.030), increase in the Short-MNA test (p=0.029), decrease in the GDS (p=0.003), and increase in the L-B scale (p=0.044). When we compared the findings with similar studies, we found similar results and different results. Conclusion: During 1 month of fasting, there are changes in anthropometric measurements, laboratory tests and cognitive status. These changes may depend on the society in which the person lives, differences in nutrition and the duration of fasting. Keywords: Fasting, Anthropometry, Biochemical Parameters, Geriatric Tests