ECE2020 ePoster Presentations Hot topics (including COVID-19) (57 abstracts)
Effects of Orthodox fasting on cardiometabolic risk factors: a comparative evaluation between lay fasters and Athonian monks
Spyridon Karras 1 , Theocharis Koufakis 1 , Andrea Petróczi 2 , Dirk Folkerts 3 , Maria Kypraiou 1 , Maria Grammatiki 1 , Hilda Mulrooney 2 , Declan Naughton 2 , Dimitrios Skoutas 4 , Lilian Adamidou 5 , Pantelis Zebekakis 1 & Kalliopi Kotsa 1
1Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, First Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece; 2School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry, Kingston University London, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 2EE, United Kingdom; 3Department of Sport Psychology, Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Muenster, Germany; 4Sarafianos Private Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece; 5Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
Background: Orthodox fasting (OF), a periodical vegetarian subset of the Mediterranean diet, has been shown to exert beneficial effects on human health. Athonian fasting is a pescetarian OF variation, where red meat is restricted throughout the year. Previous studies have examined the OF nutritional synthesis and health impact in general population fasters (GF) and Athonian monks (AM), separately. This is the first study to comparatively evaluate the characteristics and effects of this nutritional pattern between the two populations, with a special interest in cardiometabolic risk factors.
Methods: 43 general population male fasters (aged 20–45 years) and 57 age-matched male monks following OF were included in the study. Dietary intake data were collected in both groups during a restrictive (RD) and a non-restrictive (NRD) day. Nutritional, cardiometabolic and anthropometric parameters were compared between the two cohorts.
Results: AM presented lower daily total caloric intake for both RD (1362.42 ± 84.52 vs 1575.47 ± 285.96 kcal, P < .001) and NRD (1571.55 ± 81.07 vs 2137.80 ± 470.84 kcal, p<.001) than GF. They also demonstrated lower Body Mass Index (23.77 ± 3.91 vs 28.92 ± 4.50 kg/m2, P < .001), Body Fat mass (14.57 ± 8.98 vs 24.61 ± 11.18 kg, p = .001) and Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance values (0.98 ± 0.72 vs 2.67 ± 2.19 mmol/l, P < .001), compared to GF. Secondary hyperparathyroidism (Parathyroid Hormone concentrations: 116.08 ± 49.74 pg/ml), as a result of profound hypovitaminosis D [25(OH)D: 9.27 ± 5.81 ng/ml], was evident in the AM group.
Conclusions: These findings highlight the unique characteristics of Athonian fasting and its value as a health-promoting diet. The impact of limitation of specific vitamins and minerals during fasting warrants further investigation.
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Endocrine Abstracts
ISSN 1470-3947 (print) | ISSN 1479-6848 (online)
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