- Intermittent fasting includes fasting for specific periods, ranging from fasting during certain hours of the day to particular days of the week.
- The evidence is mixed on the health benefits of intermittent fasting.
- New research from a diverse study found that intermittent fasting is associated with a higher prevalence of eating disorder behavior and psychopathology, particularly among young women.
- Some people can practice intermittent fasting if they keep certain safety tips in mind.
Intermittent fasting (IF) is a popular dietary trend among health and fitness enthusiasts, which involves not eating during planned time slots.
While intermittent fasting may offer some health benefits, researchers are still working to understand the full impact of this eating pattern.
A recent study published in eating behaviors reviewed the practice of intermittent fasting among adolescents and young adults in Canada.
The researchers found an association between intermittent fasting and the behaviors and psychopathology of eating disorders and other risky behaviors among some members of this age demographic.
The results indicate the need for more research on the potential risks of intermittent fasting.
intermittent fasting it can take a few different forms.
A typical example of IF is fasting 2 non-consecutive days a week.
Other method It would be eating only during certain times of the day. For example, the 8/16 method involves fasting for 16 hours and eating only for an 8-hour period.
white garciaRDN, a Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist and nutrition specialist with the Measurement Instruments Database for the Social Sciences (MIDSS), who was not involved in the study, noted the potential benefits of eating within certain time frames. for today’s medical news:
“With proper guidance from a registered dietitian, a client can be guided in choosing well-balanced foods within the 16:8 method; I like this method because it basically consists of eating three meals in a working day. A chronic dieter may skip meals or avoid many good foods.”
Some evidence suggests that intermittent fasting may contribute to weight loss and provide certain health benefits.
Intermittent fasting can help improve insulin sensitivity and heart health. It can also help prevent disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.
However, there is possible drawbacks to intermittent fasting.
For example, intermittent fasting can increase the risk of hypoglycemia and could lead to loss of muscle mass if someone doesn’t get enough protein.
For certain people and groups, such as young children and older adults, fasting can be dangerous and should be avoided.
Also, many aspects of the potential drawbacks of intermittent fasting have not yet been studied.
For the present study, the researchers examined the relationship between intermittent fasting and eating disorders among adolescents and young adults.
This study pooled data from the Canadian Study of Adolescent Health Behaviors.
The researchers included 2,762 adolescents and young adults in their analysis, including women, men, and transgender or gender nonconforming people recruited through social media.
The researchers found that intermittent fasting was very popular in this age demographic.
study author Kyle T. GansonPh.D., MSW, assistant professor and Factor-Inwentash School of Social Work at the University of Toronto, Canada, explained to MNT:
“YES [Intermittent fasting] was very common across the sample, including 48% of women, 38% of men, and 52% of transgender/gender nonconforming participants, with participants fasting, on average, 100 days in the last 12 months”.
The researchers used an eating disorder screening questionnaire to examine behaviors and psychopathology. They wanted to see how these attitudes and patterns were similar to those of people with eating disorders.
The questionnaire looked at participants’ dietary restrictions and concerns about weight, shape and eating. They also looked at disordered eating behaviors such as binge eating, compulsive exercise, and laxative use.
“Among all groups (men, women, and transgender people), any participation in intermittent fasting (IF) in the past 12 months was associated with greater attitudes and behaviors related to disordered eating,” Ganson explained.
“Furthermore, among women in particular, IF was associated with all disordered eating behaviors, including binge eating, vomiting, laxative use, and compulsive exercise, whereas among men, IF was associated with compulsive exercise”.
The findings indicate the need for more research on the potentially harmful effects of intermittent fasting, particularly among young people.
While the new research provides insight into some potential dangers of intermittent fasting, it had several limitations.
First, the study cannot determine whether intermittent fasting causes eating disorders or the other way around.
Furthermore, the data collection methods relied heavily on self-reports by participants, which can lead to potential errors. And although the sample was diverse, there is still the possibility of selection bias based on the methods used.
There was also the possibility that participants would interpret the survey questions differently, increasing the risk of response bias. Finally, the questions may not have captured all of the cognition and behaviors of eating disorders.
All these limitations indicate the need for more research in this area.
Despite these challenges, healthcare professionals can still obtain information. Ganson noted some clinical implications of the research:
“Data from this study indicate that IF may be problematic and associated with serious and harmful eating disorder attitudes and behaviors. Health professionals need to be aware of these potentially correlated behaviors, as well as understand contemporary dietary trends such as IF that are commonly discussed among young people, particularly on social media. Therefore, more comprehensive assessments should be conducted among youth regarding dietary practices and appropriate guidance. [given] when necessary.”
People in some groups should not engage in intermittent fasting, such as people who are immunocompromised or people with certain hormonal imbalances.
The results of this study indicate the potential dangers of intermittent fasting among young adults and adolescents.
Still, some people can engage in intermittent fasting safely. by understanding the facts and gathering careful information from professionals. It is also important to understand that everyone has different needs and risks.
If you’re interested in trying intermittent fasting, Garcia recommended the following tips for staying healthy:
- Meet with a registered dietitian who can teach you about good food choices.
- Choose a method that provides daily nutrition.
- Avoid bingeing on high-calorie foods and fast foods, instead, incorporate what you like in small doses every day. (For example, if you like cookies, 1-2 cookies a day is fine.)
Non-study author and registered dietitian Anastasia GialourisCDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Brooklyn, New York, offered some safety considerations to keep in mind:
“Those who choose to try intermittent fasting should still try to eat proper balanced meals during their limited eating window, filled with whole, minimally processed foods, to ensure they are getting enough nutrients into their bodies. Second, since hunger and lack of energy are two of the main side effects of intermittent fasting, it’s vital to listen to your body. If you are fasting and you reach a point of extreme weakness [or] dizziness, then please eat something, even if it’s just a small nutritious snack to get you through.”
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