Staying safe with diabetes during Ramadan

Ramadan in 2023 will run from on or around Thursday 23rd March for 29 or 30 days, ending with Eid al-Fitr, a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide. Fasting during Ramadan, for those who are able to, is one of the five pillars of Islam, and requires Muslims to fast during the month of Ramadan from sunrise to sunset.

The risk of fasting for those living with diabetes can vary depending on type of diabetes, average blood sugar levels, the type of medication used and whether they have additional complications relating to the condition (such as poor vision, nerve damage, heart or kidney disease).

If you’re living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and plan to fast during the holy month of Ramadan, this free online course will help you to prepare and support you to stay healthy and manage your diabetes safely during this time.

Diabetes UK also has lots of really helpful information on their website to support you during Ramadan (available in Urdu, Bengali, Arabic and English).

Anyone experiencing diabetes-related complications should seek urgent medical advice when they need it.