Effects of Ramadan Fasting With Exercise on Cardiometabolic Health

NCT07471646 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: HUM00247761
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 28
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this interventional study is to examine the effects of Ramadan diurnal fasting alone and in combination with moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on cardiometabolic health in adults with overweight and obesity. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. 1.Does Ramadan diurnal fasting lead to changes in body composition and cardiometabolic health outcomes?
2. 2.Does adding moderate-intensity aerobic exercise during Ramadan fasting result in greater improvements in cardiometabolic health compared with fasting alone?

Conditions

Ramadan Fasting; Obesity & Overweight; Aerobic Exercise; Weight Loss

Keywords

Ramadan fasting; Body composition; metabolic health; obesity

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Total body fat mass

  Total body fat mass in kilogram will be assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)

  From enrollment to the end of the month of Ramadan (week 10)

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Glycemic control

  From enrollment to the end of the month of Ramadan (week 10)

• Lipids profile

  From enrollment until the end of the month of Ramadan (week 10)

• Resting metabolic rate

  From enrollment until the end of the month of Ramadan (week 10)

• Circulating concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6)

  From enrollment until the end of the month of Ramadan (week 10)

• Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)

  From enrollment until the end of the month of Ramadan (week 10)

Study Arms (2)

Ramadan diurnal fasting only group (RDF)

NO INTERVENTION

Participants observe Ramadan diurnal fasting without a structured exercise program.

Ramadan Fasting + Exercise

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants observe Ramadan diurnal fasting and participate in a supervised moderate-intensity aerobic exercise program performed approximately 5 days per week during the fasting period.

Behavioral: Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Exercise

Interventions

Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Exercise BEHAVIORAL

Participants observe Ramadan diurnal fasting, abstaining from food and caloric beverages from dawn to sunset, and engage in a supervised moderate-intensity aerobic exercise program performed approximately five days per week during Ramadan. Exercise sessions are conducted at a target intensity of moderate exertion and are completed while participants are fasting

Ramadan Fasting + Exercise

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Age 20-60
• Body mass index (BMI) ≥27 kg/m²
• Planning to observe Ramadan diurnal fasting for the duration of Ramadan

You may not qualify if:

• Diagnosed cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, or endocrine disease (e.g., diabetes, cardiovascular disease)
• Use of medications known to affect metabolism, glucose regulation, or lipid metabolism
• Current smoking or use of nicotine products
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Michigan: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Michigan School of Kinesiology

Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Obesity; Overweight; Weight Loss

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Body Weight; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Body Weight Changes

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: This is an open-label study; no participants, investigators, or outcome assessors are masked due to the nature of the fasting and exercise intervention.
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Graduate Student Research Assistant

Model Details: Participants are randomly assigned to one of two parallel groups: Ramadan diurnal fasting alone or Ramadan diurnal fasting combined with moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. Each participant receives only the intervention assigned to their group, and outcomes are assessed concurrently during the study period

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 8, 2026
• First Posted: March 13, 2026
• Study Start: May 1, 2026
• Primary Completion: May 1, 2026
• Study Completion: May 1, 2026
• Last Updated: May 19, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)