Diabetes and Ramadan
Ramadan in 2023 will run from on or around Wednesday 22 March for 29 or 30 days, ending with Eid al-Fitr, a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide.
Diabetes UK have published a series of factsheets about diabetes and Ramadan, which include fasting and managing your diabetes during this time, which have been developed in partnership with the Muslim Council of Britain’s Diabetes Advisory Group.
These are available in English (PDF, 848KB), Arabic (PDF, 193KB), Bengali (PDF, 212KB) and Urdu (PDF, 194KB) to share with friends or family who are not online.
Get the latest information on diabetes and Ramadan
In February 2022, Diabetes UK held a webinar on diabetes and Ramadan offering information and support for anyone preparing for and participating in the holy month.
As well as hearing from people with lived experience of diabetes and Ramadan, the event also included information from Moulana Azizur Rahman and health expert Dr Waqas Tahir, from Act as One and West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership.
The Qur'an requires Muslims to fast during the month of Ramadan from sunrise to sunset.
However, there are exceptions to this. One of them is that people who are ill or have medical conditions do not have to fast. This can include people living with diabetes.
“I know that Ramadan is a very important time of year for Muslims around the world. It is important to ensure that people who are living with diabetes only fast after discussing it first with their diabetes team. Fasting can be dangerous if you have diabetes as it can cause health problems. I recommend taking a few minutes to read Diabetes UK's information before you make a final decision. And if you know someone who can’t access this page, then please find a way to share this information with them.”
For more information about fasting with diabetes during Ramadan, visit the Diabetes UK website: Diabetes and Ramadan | Fasting | Diabetes UK
