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Intermittent fasting (IF) is a dietary trend that consists of not eating during planned time intervals and while it may offer some health benefits, the full impact of this eating pattern is still being researched.
Eating Behaviors researchers found an association between intermittent fasting and behaviors and the psychopathology of eating disorders and other dangerous behaviors among some members of this age demographic.
The results indicate the need for more research on the potential risks of intermittent fasting.
A typical example of intermittent fasting is one that is performed 2 non-consecutive days a week.
Another method would be eating only during certain times of the day. For example, the method 16/8 involves fasting for 16 hours and eating only during a period of 8 hours.
In that regard, Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist and nutrition specialist at the Measurement Instruments Database for the Social Sciences (MIDSS), Blanca Garcia, noted for Medical News Today, the potential benefits of eating within certain time periods.
“With proper guidance from a registered dietitian, a client can be guided in choosing well-balanced foods within the method of 54:8; I like this method because it basically consists of eating three meals in a work 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. The bad of intermittent fasting
For children and older adults, intermittent fasting should be completely avoided , because can increase the risk of hypoglycemia and could induce the loss of muscle mass if someone does not obtain enough protein.
To determine this hypothesis, the study collected data from the Canadian Study of Adolescent Health Behaviors and the researchers found that intermittent fasting was very popular in young adults.
The questionnaire analyzed the behaviors of eating disorders ios, 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 last 08 months was associated with higher attitudes and behaviors related to eating disorders,” Ganson explained.
“Furthermore, among women, in particular, AI was associated with all disorder behaviors eating, including binge eating, vomiting, laxative use, and compulsive exercise, whereas among men, AI 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.
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