Diabetes UK Launches Innovative Ramadan Project Nationwide

23 Jun 2014 --- Diabetes UK and the Muslim Council of Britain have launched an innovative project to help Muslims with diabetes fast safely through Ramadan.

Following a successful trial last year, the ‘Managing Diabetes during Ramadan’ project now has an even wider range of material to support people with diabetes cope with their condition during Ramadan. The information includes online advice and factsheets in four different languages and guidance for Muslim leaders and healthcare professionals.

Diabetes UK trained local community volunteers will also be giving talks in mosques in the lead up to Ramadan. As well as the local talks, the Diabetes UK website will host a variety of blogs about fasting during Ramadan, and there are three videos available to watch in which Muslims talk about their personal reasons about fasting or not fasting.

The Koran requires fasting during the month of Ramadan from sunrise to sunset, which this year begins around June 28. People with diabetes do not have to fast during Ramadan, but if they wish to do so they are encouraged to speak to their Imam and healthcare professional.

Jenne Patel, Equality and Diversity Manager for Diabetes UK, said: “The information and support now available will raise awareness in the local South Asian community about how to fast safely, and it’s fantastic that our volunteers are helping us do so.”

“Muslims who have diabetes do not have to fast and our website has a video of a volunteer with an alternative to fasting and others talking about their experiences of fasting and managing their condition during Ramadan.”

Patel added: “Ramadan can be a very difficult time for Muslims with diabetes, as if you decide to fast then you risk experiencing high and low blood glucose levels. It’s important that we get the right information to the Muslim community before Ramadan begins, for example, a lot of people believe that testing blood glucose levels breaks the fast, but this is simply not the case.

“If you are considering fasting and have diabetes, then you should make sure to speak to both your Imam and your GP before making the final decision.”

Diabetes UK has also produced factsheets to download about fasting safely during Ramadan in Urdu, Bengali, Arabic and English.