Mental and Behavioural Responses to Bahá’í Fasting: Looking behind the Scenes of a Religiously Motivated Intermittent Fast Using a Mixed Methods Approach
Background/Objective: Historically, fasting has been practiced not only for medical but also for religious reasons. Bahá’ís follow an annual religious intermittent dry fast of 19 days. We inquired into motivation behind and subjective health impacts of Bahá’í fasting. Methods: A convergent parallel...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/5/1038 |
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| author | Raphaela M. Ring Clemens Eisenmann Farid I. Kandil Nico Steckhan Sarah Demmrich Caroline Klatte Christian S. Kessler Michael Jeitler Michael Boschmann Andreas Michalsen Sarah B. Blakeslee Barbara Stöckigt Wiebke Stritter Daniela A. Koppold-Liebscher |
| author_facet | Raphaela M. Ring Clemens Eisenmann Farid I. Kandil Nico Steckhan Sarah Demmrich Caroline Klatte Christian S. Kessler Michael Jeitler Michael Boschmann Andreas Michalsen Sarah B. Blakeslee Barbara Stöckigt Wiebke Stritter Daniela A. Koppold-Liebscher |
| author_sort | Raphaela M. Ring |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background/Objective: Historically, fasting has been practiced not only for medical but also for religious reasons. Bahá’ís follow an annual religious intermittent dry fast of 19 days. We inquired into motivation behind and subjective health impacts of Bahá’í fasting. Methods: A convergent parallel mixed methods design was embedded in a clinical single arm observational study. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted before (n = 7), during (n = 8), and after fasting (n = 8). Three months after the fasting period, two focus group interviews were conducted (n = 5/n = 3). A total of 146 Bahá’í volunteers answered an online survey at five time points before, during, and after fasting. Results: Fasting was found to play a central role for the religiosity of interviewees, implying changes in daily structures, spending time alone, engaging in religious practices, and experiencing social belonging. Results show an increase in mindfulness and well-being, which were accompanied by behavioural changes and experiences of self-efficacy and inner freedom. Survey scores point to an increase in mindfulness and well-being during fasting, while stress, anxiety, and fatigue decreased. Mindfulness remained elevated even three months after the fast. Conclusion: Bahá’í fasting seems to enhance participants’ mindfulness and well-being, lowering stress levels and reducing fatigue. Some of these effects lasted more than three months after fasting. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:27:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7c6579f0545f4d32aa2b6a32d8cc0c31 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:27:17Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-7c6579f0545f4d32aa2b6a32d8cc0c312023-11-23T23:33:33ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432022-02-01145103810.3390/nu14051038Mental and Behavioural Responses to Bahá’í Fasting: Looking behind the Scenes of a Religiously Motivated Intermittent Fast Using a Mixed Methods ApproachRaphaela M. Ring0Clemens Eisenmann1Farid I. Kandil2Nico Steckhan3Sarah Demmrich4Caroline Klatte5Christian S. Kessler6Michael Jeitler7Michael Boschmann8Andreas Michalsen9Sarah B. Blakeslee10Barbara Stöckigt11Wiebke Stritter12Daniela A. Koppold-Liebscher13Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Sociology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Sociology/Cluster of Excellence “Religion & Politics”, University of Münster, 48143 Münster, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, GermanyExperimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC), a Cooperation between Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, 10117 Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Pediatrics, Division of Oncology and Hematology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Pediatrics, Division of Oncology and Hematology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, GermanyBackground/Objective: Historically, fasting has been practiced not only for medical but also for religious reasons. Bahá’ís follow an annual religious intermittent dry fast of 19 days. We inquired into motivation behind and subjective health impacts of Bahá’í fasting. Methods: A convergent parallel mixed methods design was embedded in a clinical single arm observational study. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted before (n = 7), during (n = 8), and after fasting (n = 8). Three months after the fasting period, two focus group interviews were conducted (n = 5/n = 3). A total of 146 Bahá’í volunteers answered an online survey at five time points before, during, and after fasting. Results: Fasting was found to play a central role for the religiosity of interviewees, implying changes in daily structures, spending time alone, engaging in religious practices, and experiencing social belonging. Results show an increase in mindfulness and well-being, which were accompanied by behavioural changes and experiences of self-efficacy and inner freedom. Survey scores point to an increase in mindfulness and well-being during fasting, while stress, anxiety, and fatigue decreased. Mindfulness remained elevated even three months after the fast. Conclusion: Bahá’í fasting seems to enhance participants’ mindfulness and well-being, lowering stress levels and reducing fatigue. Some of these effects lasted more than three months after fasting.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/5/1038intermittent food restrictionmindfulnessself-efficacywell-beingmixed methodshealth behaviour |
| spellingShingle | Raphaela M. Ring Clemens Eisenmann Farid I. Kandil Nico Steckhan Sarah Demmrich Caroline Klatte Christian S. Kessler Michael Jeitler Michael Boschmann Andreas Michalsen Sarah B. Blakeslee Barbara Stöckigt Wiebke Stritter Daniela A. Koppold-Liebscher Mental and Behavioural Responses to Bahá’í Fasting: Looking behind the Scenes of a Religiously Motivated Intermittent Fast Using a Mixed Methods Approach Nutrients intermittent food restriction mindfulness self-efficacy well-being mixed methods health behaviour |
| title | Mental and Behavioural Responses to Bahá’í Fasting: Looking behind the Scenes of a Religiously Motivated Intermittent Fast Using a Mixed Methods Approach |
| title_full | Mental and Behavioural Responses to Bahá’í Fasting: Looking behind the Scenes of a Religiously Motivated Intermittent Fast Using a Mixed Methods Approach |
| title_fullStr | Mental and Behavioural Responses to Bahá’í Fasting: Looking behind the Scenes of a Religiously Motivated Intermittent Fast Using a Mixed Methods Approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mental and Behavioural Responses to Bahá’í Fasting: Looking behind the Scenes of a Religiously Motivated Intermittent Fast Using a Mixed Methods Approach |
| title_short | Mental and Behavioural Responses to Bahá’í Fasting: Looking behind the Scenes of a Religiously Motivated Intermittent Fast Using a Mixed Methods Approach |
| title_sort | mental and behavioural responses to baha i fasting looking behind the scenes of a religiously motivated intermittent fast using a mixed methods approach |
| topic | intermittent food restriction mindfulness self-efficacy well-being mixed methods health behaviour |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/5/1038 |
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