Some people strive to lose weight by resorting to intermittent fasting. The results are indeed impressive, but recent studies by scientists raise concerns: this method may lead to serious health problems.
Intermittent fasting (IF) is one of the most popular trends in dietetics, reports Doctorpiter. This method is used for weight loss, improving health, and simplifying lifestyle. The essence of it is that for part of the day you eat, and for another part, you only drink water. The intervals can vary.
For example, a person may follow a 12:12 scheme, which implies 12 hours when they can eat anything and 12 hours when only water is allowed. There is also a 20:4 scheme, which involves strict limitations, as one has to fast for almost the entire day. However, the most common is the 16:8 scheme, where eating is allowed for 8 hours, and the remaining time is only for water.
Scientists conducted an extensive study, the results of which were presented at scientific sessions on epidemiology and healthy lifestyle prevention in Chicago. Experts found that people practicing intermittent fasting on a 16:8 scheme were 91% more likely to die from cardiovascular diseases compared to those who did not.
The study was conducted over 17 years, during which volunteers were monitored. The experiment involved 20,000 people with an average age of 49, who provided data on their health, nutrition, and lifestyle.
Key findings of the scientists:
* Eating for less than 8 hours a day increases the risks of cardiovascular diseases and mortality by 91%;
* If a person already has a history of cardiovascular diseases and consumes their entire daily food intake in less than 10 hours, the risk of cardiovascular diseases increases by 66%;
* The risk of death from cardiovascular diseases also increased among people with heart conditions and/or cancer who practiced intermittent fasting.
Scientists believe that time-restricted eating may have short-term benefits but also long-term negative consequences. However, experts acknowledge that further research is needed for a deeper understanding of this topic. For example, the study has one significant limitation: all information about the volunteers' nutrition was recorded solely based on their words.
After completing all necessary expert reviews, the scientists plan to publish the study results in one of the scientific journals.
