How common is religious fasting?

April 17, 2024

21 percent of U.S. adults say that they “fast for certain periods during holy times” according to a survey by The Pew Research Center.

Like prayer, the practice of fasting is different from religion to religion but shares some commonalities like self-mastery and reflecting on the condition of the less fortunate.

An article on the survey in the Deseret News says that figure includes 80% of U.S. Muslims, 49% of Jews and 40% of Catholics. Other faith groups including Hinduism and Buddhism also commonly fast, though survey participants from those groups were too limited to reach accurate estimates.

The way a Catholic fasts on Good Friday is likely quite different from how a Muslim might fast during observance of Ramadan.

For instance, a Catholic might eat light snacks throughout the day or a light supper like soup. Muslims, on the the other hand, might take a more strict approach by neither eating or drinking anything between sunup and sundown.

Nevertheless, Pew Research reports that the survey reveals that, “Various religions teach that fasting improves self-control, increases spiritual awareness or fosters empathy for the less fortunate.”

Photo: top, credit: Neuroscience News