Intermittent fasting involves alternating between eating and fasting for specific periods. A common approach, for example, is to eat only within an eight-hour window each day.
Several short-term studies suggest that this eating style may lead to weight loss and reduce blood pressure and improve blood sugar control in certain individuals.
Proponents argue that the human body is built for this. After all, thousands of years ago, humans survived on what they hunted and gathered, and it was normal for them to go days without eating.
However, a recent study involving more than 20,000 Americans and presented by the American Heart Association showed that intermittent fasting may pose risks to the heart.
The participants were followed for an average of eight years. During this period, those who limited their eating to eight hours a day had a 91% higher likelihood of dying from cardiovascular diseases.
It is important to mention that the study is limited. There were only 414 people in the eight-hour eating group. They tended to be younger and less educated; with lower incomes and less access to food; and were more likely to smoke than the other participants.
The researchers took these factors into account in their analyses. Therefore, the study does not prove that this eating style caused deaths from cardiovascular diseases, but only that there may be a link between going eight hours without eating and a higher likelihood of cardiovascular diseases.
Thus, more research is needed to assess the long-term effects of intermittent fasting on health.
The authors of the study want to convey the message that intermittent fasting may not be suitable for everyone. Therefore, individuals should always consult their doctor before changing their diet or lifestyle.
Source: The New York Times