A recent study conducted by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine has shed light on the potential risks associated with intermittent fasting. The research, presented at the American Heart Association‘s scientific sessions in Chicago, focused on data from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected between 2003 and 2018.
The study revealed shocking findings, indicating that individuals who restricted their food consumption to less than eight hours per day faced a significant 91% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease over an eight-year period. This raised risk was in stark comparison to those who spread their eating across a 12 to 16-hour window.
Dr. Victor Wenze Zhong, the senior author of the study, expressed surprise at the results, noting that the initial hypothesis suggested a lower risk of cardiovascular death with an eight-hour time-restricted eating schedule. Dr. Zhong emphasized the importance of caution and personalized dietary recommendations, especially for individuals with pre-existing heart conditions or cancer.
While some previous research has lauded intermittent fasting for weight loss and blood pressure benefits, this new study painted a different picture. Dr. Pam Taub from UC San Diego Health highlighted the limitations of the study, pointing out that drawing major conclusions from limited data could be misleading.
Dr. Taub also acknowledged the positive outcomes her patients have seen with intermittent fasting protocols, suggesting that individual responses to fasting regimens vary widely. Further, the study’s co-author from Stanford University, Dr. Christopher Gardner, stressed the need for future research to delve deeper into the potential factors influencing the observed risks associated with time-restricted eating.
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