Research into the impact of Ramadan on women’s health

Johan Leman, 26 February 2024

At the University of Antwerp, one is looking for women to participate in a scientific study in Brussels and Antwerp on the impact of fasting during Ramadan on their health.

But some serious questions arise, purely scientific, it seems to me. How exactly will they measure it? Because fasting also includes finding sleep afterwards, as well as eating excessively or not at the end of a day of fasting. Add to that being outside on the streets, more or less, during the fast. Some streets are particularly polluting. At the same time, will they measure whether fewer cars drive through the streets and whether women are there less? In other words, what exactly will the results teach us? The influence of the fact of fasting? The impact of Ramadan-in its-entirety during a certain period of the year on the health of some women?

It seems to me one of the many types of scientific research where one will have to be very careful in interpreting the results anyway, while one can now expect a spectacular news report on the results in advance.