The Effects of Greek Orthodox Christian Fasting during Holy Week on Body Composition and Cardiometabolic Parameters in Overweight Adults
This study investigated whether Greek Orthodox Christian fasting during Holy Week can change body composition and cardiometabolic parameters in overweight individuals, and whether these changes are maintained one week after fasting cessation (FC). Body composition and physiological and biochemical p...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Diseases |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9721/10/4/120 |
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| author | Kalliopi Georgakouli Fotini Siamata Dimitrios Draganidis Panagiotis Tsimeas Konstantinos Papanikolaou Alexios Batrakoulis Athanasios Gatsas Athanasios Poulios Niki Syrou Chariklia K. Deli Ioannis G. Fatouros Athanasios Z. Jamurtas |
| author_facet | Kalliopi Georgakouli Fotini Siamata Dimitrios Draganidis Panagiotis Tsimeas Konstantinos Papanikolaou Alexios Batrakoulis Athanasios Gatsas Athanasios Poulios Niki Syrou Chariklia K. Deli Ioannis G. Fatouros Athanasios Z. Jamurtas |
| author_sort | Kalliopi Georgakouli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study investigated whether Greek Orthodox Christian fasting during Holy Week can change body composition and cardiometabolic parameters in overweight individuals, and whether these changes are maintained one week after fasting cessation (FC). Body composition and physiological and biochemical parameters were measured before, immediately after (n = 23) and one week after FC (subgroup of n = 10). Fasting resulted in decreased body weight, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, body mass index and total body fat, as well as blood glucose, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Nutrition analysis showed a decreased protein and saturated fat intake during fasting. FC (n = 10) resulted in a decreased carbohydrate intake and increased protein and cholesterol intake compared to fasting. Fasting resulted in decreased blood glucose, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels but returned to pre-fasting levels after FC. Greek Orthodox Christian fasting during Holy Week is beneficial for body composition and some aspects of cardiometabolic health. However, these favourable changes are not maintained one week following fasting. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:07:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f937508c547b43b1b5e92ccfac14fa03 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-9721 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:07:56Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-f937508c547b43b1b5e92ccfac14fa032023-11-24T14:21:53ZengMDPI AGDiseases2079-97212022-12-0110412010.3390/diseases10040120The Effects of Greek Orthodox Christian Fasting during Holy Week on Body Composition and Cardiometabolic Parameters in Overweight AdultsKalliopi Georgakouli0Fotini Siamata1Dimitrios Draganidis2Panagiotis Tsimeas3Konstantinos Papanikolaou4Alexios Batrakoulis5Athanasios Gatsas6Athanasios Poulios7Niki Syrou8Chariklia K. Deli9Ioannis G. Fatouros10Athanasios Z. Jamurtas11Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, Argonauton 1C, 42132 Trikala, GreeceDepartment of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, 42100 Trikala, GreeceDepartment of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, 42100 Trikala, GreeceDepartment of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, 42100 Trikala, GreeceDepartment of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, 42100 Trikala, GreeceDepartment of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, 42100 Trikala, GreeceDepartment of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, 42100 Trikala, GreeceDepartment of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, 42100 Trikala, GreeceDepartment of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, 42100 Trikala, GreeceDepartment of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, 42100 Trikala, GreeceDepartment of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, 42100 Trikala, GreeceDepartment of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, 42100 Trikala, GreeceThis study investigated whether Greek Orthodox Christian fasting during Holy Week can change body composition and cardiometabolic parameters in overweight individuals, and whether these changes are maintained one week after fasting cessation (FC). Body composition and physiological and biochemical parameters were measured before, immediately after (n = 23) and one week after FC (subgroup of n = 10). Fasting resulted in decreased body weight, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, body mass index and total body fat, as well as blood glucose, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Nutrition analysis showed a decreased protein and saturated fat intake during fasting. FC (n = 10) resulted in a decreased carbohydrate intake and increased protein and cholesterol intake compared to fasting. Fasting resulted in decreased blood glucose, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels but returned to pre-fasting levels after FC. Greek Orthodox Christian fasting during Holy Week is beneficial for body composition and some aspects of cardiometabolic health. However, these favourable changes are not maintained one week following fasting.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9721/10/4/120religiondietbody compositionmetabolismhearthealth |
| spellingShingle | Kalliopi Georgakouli Fotini Siamata Dimitrios Draganidis Panagiotis Tsimeas Konstantinos Papanikolaou Alexios Batrakoulis Athanasios Gatsas Athanasios Poulios Niki Syrou Chariklia K. Deli Ioannis G. Fatouros Athanasios Z. Jamurtas The Effects of Greek Orthodox Christian Fasting during Holy Week on Body Composition and Cardiometabolic Parameters in Overweight Adults Diseases religion diet body composition metabolism heart health |
| title | The Effects of Greek Orthodox Christian Fasting during Holy Week on Body Composition and Cardiometabolic Parameters in Overweight Adults |
| title_full | The Effects of Greek Orthodox Christian Fasting during Holy Week on Body Composition and Cardiometabolic Parameters in Overweight Adults |
| title_fullStr | The Effects of Greek Orthodox Christian Fasting during Holy Week on Body Composition and Cardiometabolic Parameters in Overweight Adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effects of Greek Orthodox Christian Fasting during Holy Week on Body Composition and Cardiometabolic Parameters in Overweight Adults |
| title_short | The Effects of Greek Orthodox Christian Fasting during Holy Week on Body Composition and Cardiometabolic Parameters in Overweight Adults |
| title_sort | effects of greek orthodox christian fasting during holy week on body composition and cardiometabolic parameters in overweight adults |
| topic | religion diet body composition metabolism heart health |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9721/10/4/120 |
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