The Effect of Ramadan Fasting on Elderly Muslims’ Quality of Life

Introduction: The effect of Ramadan fasting on the quality of life of older Muslims is a challenging issue. The present study was carried out to examine the effect of Ramadan fasting on elderly Muslims’ quality of life. Methods: This observational correlational study was carried out throughout the natural intervention of Ramadan fasting in 2016 during which the length of fasting days was about sixteen hours. A convenience sample of 100 people older than 60 years who referred to Rafsanjan Health Centers was recruited. The twelve-item Short Form Survey of Quality of Life was used for assessing participants’ quality of life at three measurement time (T) points including before (T1), one day after (T2), and one month after Ramadan (T3). Data was analyzed through the two-way repeated measures ANOVA, using SPSS (v.18) and P<0.05 was considered as significant. Result: There was a significant difference among the three measurement time points (T1=47.02±14.15, T2=50.76±17.06, T3=51.53±16.79) regarding the total sf-12 score of quality of life (P value < 0.0001). Conclusion: Elderly Muslims’ quality of life can be improved through fasting.