Endocrine responses, weight change, and energy sparing mechanisms during Ramadan among Gambian adolescent women

Objectives Ramadan fasting imposes a diurnal rather than a chronic energetic challenge. When Ramadan occurs during the agricultural season in subsistence populations, diurnal and chronic effects combine. The impact of layered energetic challenges on adolescent activity, metabolism, and body composition have not been quantified. This study compares the effects of a Ramadan (30 July–3 October 2009) and subsequent non-Ramadan (14 July–12 August...