How to lose weight by doing IF (Intermittent Fasting) is very popular all over the world. But recently there has been shocking news in the nutrition industry when the American Heart Association (AHA) released a research report that has not yet been published that people who do IF 16/8 have a 91% increased chance of dying from cardiovascular disease, which has created quite a bit of panic in the IF community. What is the truth? Let’s check out the information.
Is it true that doing IF 16/8 increases the risk of death from heart disease?
The American Heart Association released the information on its website on March 18, 2024. The key points are as follows:
- The data is based on questionnaires collected between 2003 and 2018 among 20,000 Americans with an average age of 49 and a body mass index (BMI) of 28 to 29 and who were heavy drinkers.
- People who do the 16/8 IF formula, or eat within an 8-hour window and fast for 16 hours, have a 91% increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, especially those with heart disease or cancer.
- People with heart disease who do IF by eating 8-10 hours a day are associated with a 66% increased risk of death from heart disease or stroke.
- Doing IF or time-restricted eating like this does not reduce the risk of death in all cases.
- Cancer patients who ate more than 16 hours per day were associated with a reduced risk of cancer death.
- Although IF with eating less than 8 hours per day was associated with a higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease, it did not reflect that IF was a cause of death from this disease.
While Assoc. Prof. Dr. Manop Pitakpakorn, Head of the Center for Precision Medicine Research, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, tweeted his opinion on this research via the account @manopsi on the X platform, analyzing interesting data as follows:
1. This study collected data from NHANES, a large and well-established dataset. Data from this dataset have been used to answer many research questions for a long time. The data collection and analysis team is experienced and skilled.
2. This สมัคร ufabet data has a disadvantage in that it is a self-assessment survey of the 16:8 IF method using a questionnaire from the first year of data collection. It cannot confirm whether everyone consistently uses this 16:8 IF formula.
3. The strengths of this study are the large dataset of almost 20,000 people and the average follow-up period of 8 years and the maximum follow-up period of 17 years. While the previously reported benefits were all short-term, there has never been such a long-term dataset.
4. Another observation is the average age of 49 years (middle age).
5. There is also data from a group that fasted less than this, i.e., had a eating period of 8-10 hours and had heart disease. It was found that the risk of death was increased by 66%. On the contrary, in cancer patients, not doing IF had a lower mortality rate. This is consistent with the above data in the same way.
6. Overall, doing IF does not reduce the risk of death.
7. This study is epidemiological. It found that this relationship is true. However, to find an explanation or mechanism, new studies must be conducted, data collected, and analyzed in a different way.
So, in conclusion, be aware of the information and be careful in middle-aged and older people with comorbidities. Don’t generalize that IF is bad and don’t flatter that it is excellent. Consider each individual. Like many doctors and experts, they commented on the research that there are still many questions because it is a study based on data from the American population that responded to a questionnaire from 2003-2018 and most of the respondents were obese and drank alcoholic beverages, which may affect the disease. In addition, the question of doing IF is still not clear about how to eat, what kind of food, and whether there were any changes in eating habits along the way or if there were other risk factors that affect the development of heart disease. Therefore, we must wait to read the full research again.
Who is not suitable for doing IF 16/8?
As you know, IF weight loss is a time-limited eating method. Of course, it is not suitable for everyone, especially this group of people who do not need to wait for the results of the above study. However, it is better to avoid doing IF for safety.
- People with gastritis
- Patients with irritable bowel syndrome
- Patients who have previously undergone gastric or other gastrointestinal surgery
- Diabetic patients
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women
- Children and adolescents
- Elderly
- People who are physically weak and in poor health
- Patients with immunodeficiencies
- People who have or have had eating disorders
- Dementia patients
- People who have previously suffered a brain injury or a concussion
- People with chronic diseases or people who take regular medication
Is IF weight loss harmful to health? Who is not suitable to use this method?
However, this information is only a summary of the preliminary study results. We still have to wait for the full research from AHA. But for those who are already doing IF 16/8 and are not comfortable, try to consult a doctor or nutritionist to build more confidence. For those who want to try IF, it is recommended to always follow the latest news. Most importantly, you should consult a doctor to see if you are suitable for losing weight with IF or if you should choose a better weight loss method.