Barley Based Bread may Suppress the Appetite in Individuals who Practice Islamic Fasting

hunger and because of the consumption of bread as the staple food of most Muslims, it influences the appetite and satiety of fasting individuals. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of barley bread on appetite and satiety compared with white wheat bread in healthy fasting participants. Methods and Materials: This study was a clinical trial performed for 3 consecutive days during Itikaf ceremony. Demographic and anthropometric characteristics of healthy participants were assessed. 24 hours dietary recall used for dietary intakes. To measure appetite and satiety, FLINT visual analogue scale was used. Results: 184 healthy men and women in Itikaf fasting participated in this study. The results showed that during the fasting period, hunger in the barley bread group was significantly lower than white wheat bread group. Rate of hunger before the Iftar in the barley bread group was significantly lower than wheat bread group. During the time, the sense of hunger decreased before the Sahur in the barley group, but its trend was not statistically significant. During the fasting period, the highest reduction in satiety was observed in the first five hours of fasting, which did not differ significantly between the two groups. Satiety was increased before the Sahur in the barley group, but its trend was not statistically significant. Conclusion: This study show that barley bread decreased appetite and increased satiety during the fasting compared with wheat bread.