Observational studyNutrients2022
Mental and Behavioural Responses to Bahá'í Fasting: Looking behind the Scenes of a Religiously Motivated Intermittent Fast Using a Mixed Methods Approach.
Observational study in Nutrients, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 24 citations in OpenAlex.
- Intermittent Fasting Regimes Reduce Gingival Inflammation: A Three-Arm Clinical Trial.Journal of clinical periodontology · 2025Trial
- Trajectories of mental distress and quality of life during Ramadan fasting in young Israeli Muslims are gender-specific.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- A Prospective Observational Study of a 2-Week Integrative Inpatient Therapy on Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome.Biomedicines · 2025Article
- Triangulation of Questionnaires, Qualitative Data and Natural Language Processing: A Differential Approach to Religious Bahá'í Fasting in Germany.Journal of religion and health · 2024Observational
- International consensus on fasting terminology.Cell metabolism · 2024Article
- Observational
- Fasting in Science and Clinics: A Report on Proceedings from the International Scientific Symposium and Conference on Fasting in Berlin (June 2023).Complementary medicine research · 2024Review
- Article
- [The potential of nutrition for pain management and planetary health].Schmerz (Berlin, Germany) · 2023Review
- Observational
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
14 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectiveHistorically, 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.
methodsA 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.
resultsFasting 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.
conclusionBahá'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.
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Registered trials
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