Increase in risk applied to individuals with existing cardiovascular disease or cancer and was linked to less lean muscle mass.
Intermittent fasting linked to increased risk of heart disease
Study found people who adhered to an eight-hour eating plan had a higher risk of dying from heart disease compared to those following traditional dietary pattern.
Intermittent fasting, a popular strategy to lose weight by limiting food intake to certain times, has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease. A study presented at the American Heart Association found that people who adhered to an eight-hour eating plan had a higher risk of dying from heart disease compared to those who followed a more traditional dietary pattern. The increase in risk also applied to people with existing cardiovascular disease or cancer, and was linked to less lean muscle mass. It's important for individuals considering intermittent fasting as part of their weight loss plan to consult with a healthcare professional before making any significant changes.
It's important to note that this is just one study and more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between intermittent fasting and heart disease.
The study analyzed data on the dietary habits of 20,000 adults across the United States who were followed from 2003 to 2018.
People who adhered to an eight-hour eating plan had a higher risk of dying from heart disease compared to people who followed a more traditional dietary pattern.
The increased risk also applied to people with existing cardiovascular disease or cancer.
> The safety of intermittent fasting, a popular strategy to lose weight by limiting food intake to certain times, was called into question by a surprise finding from research presented at a medical meeting.
> Limiting mealtimes to a period of just eight hours a day was linked to an increase in risk of death from heart disease. The study found that this type of fasting increased the risk by 91%.
Accuracy
The study analyzed data on the dietary habits of 20,000 adults across the United States who were followed from 2003 to 2018.
Losing lean muscle mass is linked to lower metabolic health and higher mortality rates, including an increased risk of dying from heart disease.
People who followed a 16:8 time-restricted eating pattern had less lean muscle mass compared to people who ate throughout longer periods of the day.
The new study shows that compared to people whose eating duration was 12-16 hours per day, those who restricted their eating time within 8 hours per day had higher risk of cardiovascular death and did not live longer.
> The American Heart Association published only an abstract, leaving scientists speculating about details of the study protocol.
Deception
(80%)
The article is deceptive in that it presents intermittent fasting as a healthy and beneficial practice for weight loss and overall health. The study cited in the article found that people who followed an eight-hour eating plan had a significantly higher risk of dying from heart disease compared to those who followed a more traditional dietary pattern. This contradicts previous studies suggesting that time-restricted eating can improve cardiovascular health, such as lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Additionally, the article fails to disclose any potential biases or limitations in the study design.
The article states that intermittent fasting has been widely touted by celebrities and health experts who say it produces weight loss and a variety of health benefits. However, this statement is misleading as there is no scientific evidence to support these claims.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article presents a study that found an increased risk of heart disease among intermittent fasters who followed the eight-hour eating plan. The author also mentions previous studies that have shown mixed results for intermittent fasting and its impact on longevity. Additionally, the article discusses how muscle mass is affected by time-restricted eating, which could potentially contribute to an increased risk of heart disease.
The study analyzed data on the dietary habits of 20,000 adults across the United States who were followed from 2003 to 2018. They found that people who adhered to the eight-hour eating plan had a 91 percent higher risk of dying from heart disease compared to people who followed a more traditional dietary pattern of eating their food across 12 to 16 hours each day.
People with existing cardiovascular disease who followed a time-restricted eating pattern had a 66 percent higher risk of dying from heart disease or stroke. Those who had cancer meanwhile were more likely to die of the disease if they followed a time-restricted diet compared to people with cancer who followed an eating duration of at least 16 hours a day.
Bias
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The article by Anahad O'Connor in JAMA Internal Medicine discusses the potential risks of intermittent fasting on heart health. The author has a financial interest in the topic as they are an employee of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine which conducts research on time-restricted eating, one aspect of intermittent fasting.
The article mentions that Anahad O'Connor is an employee at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. The school has conducted research on time-restricted eating which is a component of intermittent fasting.
Limiting mealtimes to a period of just eight hours a day was linked to an increase in risk of death from heart disease. The study found that this type of fasting increased the risk by 91%.
People who adhered to an eight-hour eating plan had less lean muscle mass compared to people who followed a more traditional dietary pattern.
Accuracy
The safety of intermittent fasting was called into question by a surprise finding from research presented at a medical meeting.
> Limiting mealtimes to a period of just eight hours a day was linked to an increase in risk of death from heart disease. The study found that this type of fasting increased the risk by 91%.<
The American Heart Association published only an abstract, leaving scientists speculating about details of the study protocol.
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title implies that intermittent fasting has been linked to heart risks when in fact it was only a small subset of participants who experienced this risk. Secondly, the author quotes an expert saying 'it's not clear what happened', which suggests they are unsure about the study results and therefore trying to create uncertainty for readers. Lastly, the article fails to disclose any sources.
The title implies that intermittent fasting has been linked to heart risks when in fact it was only a small subset of participants who experienced this risk.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an example of a false dilemma fallacy. The author presents the options as if they are mutually exclusive when in fact there may be other ways to approach intermittent fasting that do not carry such risks.
> Limiting mealtimes to a period of just eight hours a day was linked to a 91% increase in risk of death from heart disease.
Bias
(85%)
The author uses language that dehumanizes those who practice intermittent fasting by describing it as a 'popular strategy to lose weight'. The use of the word 'surprise' implies that this finding is unexpected and therefore not trustworthy. Additionally, the author quotes an expert saying that they are speculating about details of the study protocol which suggests bias towards those who practice intermittent fasting.
Limiting mealtimes to a period of just eight hours a day was linked to a 91% increase in risk of death from heart disease
scientists speculating about details of the study protocol
The safety of intermittent fasting was called into question
Intermittent fasting involves eating only during a specific window of time each day.
The new research was presented March 18 at the American Heart Association (AHA) EPI Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2024 and looked at deaths from cardiovascular diseases in more than 20,000 U.S. adults over an average of eight years.
Participants with existing cardiovascular disease who ate during an eight- to 10-hour window also had a higher risk of dying from heart disease or stroke.
Accuracy
A new study finds a link between time-restricted eating and a risk of cardiovascular death.
Intermittent fasting, which involves eating only during a specific window of time each day, has been linked to an 91% higher risk of heart-related death in the study.
The new research shows that compared to people whose eating duration was 12-16 hours per day, those who restricted their eating time within 8 hours per day had higher risk of cardiovascular death and did not live longer.
Deception
(90%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, it states that intermittent fasting has been linked to a 91% higher risk of heart-related death in a large study. However, this statement is misleading because the correlation between time-restricted eating and cardiovascular death was not causal. The article also fails to disclose that the study had several limitations, such as participants providing dietary data through self-reporting and only two diet surveys being used. Additionally, the article quotes an expert who states that it is possible to eat a really low-quality diet while time-restricted eating, which contradicts previous research suggesting that intermittent fasting improves metrics tied to cardiovascular health in the short term. Finally, the article fails to disclose any sources or references for its information.
The statement 'intermittent fasting has been linked to a 91% higher risk of heart-related death' is misleading because it implies causality when there was only correlation.
Fallacies
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Bias
(85%)
The article presents a study that found a link between time-restricted eating and an increased risk of cardiovascular death. The author uses language that implies the study is definitive when it states 'a higher cardiovascular death risk in the overall group and in people with either cancer or heart disease, who were singled out in separate analyses.' However, this statement contradicts itself by stating that due to its design, it cannot say whether this eating schedule caused the deaths. The author also uses language that implies a causal relationship when they state 'Restricting eating to this short time window was tied to a higher cardiovascular death risk in the overall group and in people with existing cardiovascular disease who ate during an eight- to 10-hour window.' However, it is important to note that correlation does not necessarily mean causation. The author also uses language that implies a definitive conclusion when they state 'Overall, though, it’s too early to give a specific recommendation on [time-restricted eating] based on our study alone.' This statement contradicts itself by stating the need for caution around intermittent fasting and suggesting that more research is needed. The author also uses language that implies a definitive conclusion when they state 'The new, preliminary research was presented March 18 at the American Heart Association (AHA) EPI Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2024.' However, this statement contradicts itself by stating that it is preliminary and cannot be fully understood until all data from the study is published. The author also uses language that implies a definitive conclusion when they state 'This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.' This statement contradicts itself by presenting information about a scientific study as if it were medical advice.
The new, preliminary research was presented March 18 at the American Heart Association (AHA) EPI Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2024.
