Intermittent fasting, a popular dieting technique embraced by many, is being called into question after a recent study suggests that an 8-hour time-restricted eating pattern is linked to a higher risk of death from heart disease.
The intermittent fasting technique involves alternating cycles of fasting and eating, with time-restricted eating being one frequently practiced approach. This eating pattern includes methods such as the 16/8 technique (fasting for 16 hours and eating within an eight-hour window) or the 14/10 method (a 14-hour fast followed by a 10-hour eating period). Additionally, there are other techniques, such as alternate-day fasting, twice-weekly fasting, and a once-weekly 24-hour fast.
“Restricting daily eating time to a short period, such as 8 hours per day, has gained popularity in recent years as a way to lose weight and improve heart health. However, the long-term health effects of time-restricted eating, including the risk of death from any cause or cardiovascular disease, are unknown,” said senior study author Victor Wenze Zhong from the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in Shanghai, China.
In the latest study, researchers investigated the potential long-term health impact of following an 8-hour time-restricted eating plan by evaluating over 20,000 adults with an average age of 49 years.
According to the results of the preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention-Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Scientific Sessions 2024, people who followed an 8-hour time-restricted eating schedule had a 91% higher risk of cardiovascular death.
The researchers noted an increased risk of cardiovascular death also in people living with heart disease or cancer. For people already diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, having an eating duration of at least 8 hours but less than 10 hours per day was linked to a 66% increased risk of death from heart disease or stroke.
The study also revealed that limiting…
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