Intermittent Fasting: The Answer or Passing Fad?
by Marieke Breakey, B.Sc HNS, Registered Dietitian, Recreation Services at the University of Manitoba
Advocates of intermittent fasting tout it as "the answer" to weight loss, chronic disease, and longevity. Claims include increased energy, loss of body fat, decreased inflammation, enhanced "mental clarity," and even reversal of type II diabetes. But can this method of eating (or not eating, in this case), really be of benefit to most people?
Another form is random meal skipping, which is just as it sounds. Eat-stop-eat may involve regular intervals of eating and fasting, for example, eating for 5 days and then fasting for 2 days with complete fast or less than 500 calories on the fasting days. The more popular form (and easier for most people to follow) is a 16 hour fast, with an 8 hour feeding time. Several people endorse this, the most popular of which is Martin Berkhan, a personal trainer, "nutritional consultant" and author of The Lean Gains Method: The Art of Getting Ripped.
Review studies3,4 comparing intermittent fasting with energy restriction found that both methods generated clinically significant weight loss and decreased fat mass and that there is insufficient evidence for long-term effects and safety of weekly intermittent energy restriction for weight management.
Intermittent fasting is not something that everyone should try. The diet may promote binge eating during feeding times, nutrient deficiencies from energy restriction, irritability and mood swings. In most cases, those with both type I and type II diabetes, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, young people under the age of 18, and those with a history of disordered eating should avoid trying this diet5.
If you are looking to improve your health by changing your eating, try:
1. Mindful Eating – slow down, minimize distractions, and enjoy your food. Check out the Centre for Mindful Eating’s website for more information.
2. Eat more vegetables – enjoy the vitamins, minerals and satiety-inducing fibre that these foods offer. Try increasing your vegetable portions at lunch and supper daily.
3. Speaking with a registered dietitian – dietitians can help you find an eating pattern that works for you. Visit uofmactiveliving.ca to learn more about our registered dietitians and how they can help you reach your goals.
First – what is fasting?
Fasting, just means, “to eat sparingly or abstain from some foods”1. Most humans have a daily fasting period that begins before their bedtime, followed by the feeding period, which starts at the first eating opportunity after waking (for many, this is breakfast). Per popular opinion, intermittent fasting refers to a group of several diet plans that involve a period of eating and a period of abstaining from food or fasting. This offers an alternative to many popular weight loss diets involving a daily energy restriction. There are several reported methods for intermittent fasting (in the popular diet sense). Every-other-day or alternate day fasting is essentially a regular day followed by a fasting day, with hydration/supplements only on the fasting days (some allow a 500 calorie max on your “fasting days”).Another form is random meal skipping, which is just as it sounds. Eat-stop-eat may involve regular intervals of eating and fasting, for example, eating for 5 days and then fasting for 2 days with complete fast or less than 500 calories on the fasting days. The more popular form (and easier for most people to follow) is a 16 hour fast, with an 8 hour feeding time. Several people endorse this, the most popular of which is Martin Berkhan, a personal trainer, "nutritional consultant" and author of The Lean Gains Method: The Art of Getting Ripped.
What does the research say?
A recent review published in Cureus2 found 4 randomized control trial studies showing intermittent fasting generated weight loss in the short term. However, the number of participants and length of time following the diet varied widely, 8-173 people, and 3-104 weeks, respectively.Review studies3,4 comparing intermittent fasting with energy restriction found that both methods generated clinically significant weight loss and decreased fat mass and that there is insufficient evidence for long-term effects and safety of weekly intermittent energy restriction for weight management.
Intermittent fasting is not something that everyone should try. The diet may promote binge eating during feeding times, nutrient deficiencies from energy restriction, irritability and mood swings. In most cases, those with both type I and type II diabetes, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, young people under the age of 18, and those with a history of disordered eating should avoid trying this diet5.
The Verdict
The jury is still out on whether intermittent fasting in various forms can be a safe, sustainable, and effective eating pattern for the masses. More research is needed, especially of long-term duration and with a variety of participant types in more significant numbers.If you are looking to improve your health by changing your eating, try:
1. Mindful Eating – slow down, minimize distractions, and enjoy your food. Check out the Centre for Mindful Eating’s website for more information.
2. Eat more vegetables – enjoy the vitamins, minerals and satiety-inducing fibre that these foods offer. Try increasing your vegetable portions at lunch and supper daily.
3. Speaking with a registered dietitian – dietitians can help you find an eating pattern that works for you. Visit uofmactiveliving.ca to learn more about our registered dietitians and how they can help you reach your goals.
Sources:
1. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fasting
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6128599/
3. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.12593
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26384657
5. https://examine.com/nutrition/the-low-down-on-intermittent-fasting/#ref12
6. https://www.myoleanfitness.com/myolean-fitness-infographics-august-2017/
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