Intermittent Fasting and GERD Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Medical Faculty Academic Community
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56127/jukeke.v5i1.2581Keywords:
Intermittent Fasting, GERD, GERD-Q, Dietary Patterns, Academic CommunityAbstract
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder caused by the backflow of gastric contents into the esophagus and may reduce quality of life. Intermittent fasting (IF) is increasingly practiced among productive-age groups, including academic communities, yet alterations in eating windows may influence gastric acid dynamics and gastrointestinal motility, making its relationship with GERD symptoms clinically relevant. Objective: This study aimed to examine the association between intermittent fasting habits and the occurrence of GERD symptoms among the academic community at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara. Methodology: An analytic observational study with a cross-sectional design was conducted among 64 respondents selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS. The association between IF habits and GERD symptoms was tested using the Chi-square test at a significance level of p < 0.05. Findings: The analysis showed no statistically significant association between intermittent fasting habits and GERD symptoms (p = 0.633). Research implications: These findings suggest that intermittent fasting, as practiced in this population, may not be a key determinant of GERD symptoms; therefore, prevention and counseling efforts should emphasize other modifiable factors (e.g., meal composition, late-night eating, stress, caffeine intake, or obesity-related risk) when managing reflux complaints in academic settings. Originality/value: This study provides context-specific evidence on the IF–GERD symptom relationship within an Indonesian medical faculty academic community using a standardized symptom assessment approach, contributing local data to an area where findings remain variable across populations.
References
Alnasser, A., & Almutairi, M. (2022). Considering intermittent fasting among Saudis: Insights into practices. BMC Public Health, 22(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12908-4
Dan, K. G. Q., Gerd, G., Yang, K., Puasa, M., & Dan, R. (2020). Perbandingan hasil. 4(2), 413–422.
Huerta-Iga, F., Bielsa-Fernández, M. V., Remes-Troche, J. M., Valdovinos-Díaz, M. A., & Tamayo-de la Cuesta, J. L. (2016). Diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease: Recommendations of the Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología. Revista de Gastroenterología de México (English Edition), 81(4), 208–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rgmxen.2016.09.002
Jiang, Y., Sonu, I., Garcia, P., et al. (2023). The impact of intermittent fasting on patients with suspected gastroesophageal reflux disease. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, 57(10), 1001–1006. https://doi.org/10.1097/MCG.0000000000001788
Kuswono, A. D., & Yurizali, B. R. R. A. (2021). Kejadian gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) dengan GERD-Q pada mahasiswa kedokteran. Baiturrahmah Medical Journal, 38. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44360-7_11
Lange, M. G., Coffey, A. A., Coleman, P. C., et al. (2024). Metabolic changes with intermittent fasting. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 37(1), 256–269. https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.13253
Manterola, C., Grande, L., Bustos, L., & Otzen, T. (2020). Prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease: A population-based cross-sectional study in southern Chile. Gastroenterology Report, 8(4), 286–292. https://doi.org/10.1093/gastro/goaa002
Marfu, N., Fadholah, A., Kuniyati, K., & Zubaidi, S. (2022). The effect of Monday–Thursday fast habits on glucose, cholesterol, and uric acid in young adult women. 3(2), 81–94.
Nain, S., Jain, A., & Kumar, K. (2020). Intermittent fasting (IF): An approach to a healthy body. Journal of Biological Engineering Research and Review. http://www.biologicalengineering.in/Archive
Perkumpulan Gastroenterologi Indonesia. (2022). Konsensus nasional penatalaksanaan GERD di Indonesia (Revisi 2022).
Rahimi, H., & Tavakol, N. (2018). Effects of Ramadan fasting on the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Journal of Nutrition, Fasting and Health, 6(4), 213–219. https://doi.org/10.22038/jnfh.2019.36885.1161
Sadafi, S., Azizi, A., Pasdar, Y., Shakiba, E., & Darbandi, M. (2024). Risk factors for gastroesophageal reflux disease: A population-based study. BMC Gastroenterology, 24(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12876-024-03143-9
Vasim, I., Majeed, C. N., & DeBoer, M. D. (2022). Intermittent fasting and metabolic health. Nutrients, 14(3), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14030631
Wilkinson, M. J., Manoogian, E. N. C., Zadourian, A., et al. (2020). Ten-hour time-restricted eating reduces weight, blood pressure, and atherogenic lipids in patients with metabolic syndrome. Cell Metabolism, 31(1), 92–104.e5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2019.11.004
