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Study linking intermittent fasting to higher risk of heart disease death questioned by researchers: ‘No clear answers’
- A study of 20,000 adults found the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease almost doubled for those following a 16:8 eating plan
- But health experts have said the findings did not take into account pre-existing medical issues and more research is needed
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The safety of intermittent fasting has been questioned recently after a large-scale study linked it to a 91 per cent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
But experts are holding off on making any strong calls over the time-restricted eating plan, pointing out flaws in the findings and saying more research is needed.
The analysis of more than 20,000 adults, led by a group of scientists from China and the United States, found that people who limited their food intake window to less than eight hours in each 24-hour period almost doubled their risk of dying from heart disease.
The findings were presented at an American Heart Association (AHA) conference in Chicago held from March 18 to 21, with a paper set to be published soon in a peer-reviewed journal, according to a statement from the AHA on March 19.
Restricting daily eating to a short period of time has gained popularity in recent years because it is thought to have benefits such as weight loss and improved heart health, lead author Zhong Wenze from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine said.
“However, the long-term health effects of time-restricted eating, including the risk of death from any cause or cardiovascular disease, are unknown,” he added.
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