People who have participated in intermittent fasting in the past may be at higher risk of binge eating, according to a new study published in the journal appetite.
Binge eating disorder is a serious condition that can lead to obesity, diabetes, and other health problems. Intermittent fasting, on the other hand, is a popular dietary trend that may offer health benefits such as weight loss and improved blood sugar control. And we need a thorough understanding of how different types of intermittent fasting affect our risk of overeating and other harmful behaviors.
“I am currently pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology and have always wanted to know more about the relationship between eating disorders and risk factors such as previous diets and restrictions,” said study authors. Jordan explains. Shuler, a graduate student at Texas A&M University.
“I came up with the idea for this study in 2019, and I had only heard the term ‘intermittent fasting’ and didn’t know much about it. Still, my mind quickly settled on what I learned from research. In other words, dietary restrictions and excessive dieting can lead to the development of eating disorders. “
“I tried to learn more about this subject and see what research was already done,” Schuler said. I was incredibly surprised to find out, just how it affected medical outcomes such as weight and cholesterol.”
For their study, Schuler and her colleagues used 70 individuals currently engaged in intermittent fasting, 48 individuals previously engaged in intermittent fasting, and 48 We recruited a sample of 182 individuals who had never been engaged in a study. Participants were recruited through the Department of Psychology subject pool.
The researchers asked participants some basic questions about their diet. Those currently engaged in intermittent fasting were further asked about their experiences with different types of intermittent fasting (timed fasting and alternate-day fasting) and their reasons for doing so. I was asked.
Participants completed the short UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (assessing five dimensions of impulsiveness), the Intuitive Eating Scale 2 (relying on hunger or emotional cues to decide whether to stop or start eating). ) was also completed. DSM-5 Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale (a diagnostic assessment of binge eating, anorexia, and purging behavior), and the Mindful Eating Behavior Scale (assessing the degree to which an individual eats with attention to current thoughts and feelings) .
Of the participants currently on intermittent fasting, only 57.1% considered themselves currently on a diet, and 87.1% were not following specific dietary restrictions. Most people (58.7%) reported starting intermittent fasting to lose weight or change their body composition. A majority (90%) indicated that they followed a timed fasting regimen.
Worryingly, people who had intermittent fasted in the past were more likely to report being aggressive in binge eating than those who had never intermittent fasted.
“Our findings show that past involvement in intermittent fasting is associated with increased binge eating,” Schuler told PsyPost. Although it can be physically and emotionally uncomfortable, it is also associated with several medical and psychological concerns, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, substance abuse, and mood or anxiety disorders.Hudson et al., 2010; Cornstein et al., 2016)”
‘Furthermore, intermittent fasting was negatively associated with intuitive eating, or eating according to internal hunger and satiety sensations, i. means that people are less likely to eat according to their inner cues: hunger cues or their physiological needs (e.g. stamina, energy). Eating on a schedule rather than on time can cause some appetite problems and functional problems.”
“However, to fully understand how intermittent fasting is associated with adverse psychological effects such as eating disorders, food obsessions, body image concerns, depression, or anxiety. , further research needs to be done.
Interestingly, there was no statistically significant difference in binge-eating episodes among them Current Those who are fasting and those who have never fasted.
“We weren’t surprised that past intermittent fasting could lead to an increase in overeating, but we were surprised to find that this group had the highest number of episodes of overeating compared to the currently fasting group.” “But when I think about it a little more, I think it makes sense. Obsession can often lead to overeating.
“And what if we consistently diet or limit our food intake? I’m hungry! But instead a bit Hunger that most of us do regularly, we get TRUE As if you are hungry and can’t control how much you eat, you may eat too quickly and end up eating more than you intended (e.g., binge eating). Of course, the sample size of the group that participated in intermittent fasting in the past (n = 48) was small, so further studies are needed to confirm this finding. “
Participants currently engaged in intermittent fasting scored higher on the endurance scale than those who had fasted in the past or had never fasted. I usually make decisions by reasoning carefully,” and I tended to agree with statements such as “I like to see things through to the end.” However, no other significant differences were found in impulsiveness.
“Additionally, I was surprised to find no link between intermittent fasting and impulsiveness,” Schuler told PsyPost. We’ve seen it in the literature, which makes sense given that binge eating can be viewed as an impulsive eating decision.”
“In particular, research has shown that individuals who engage in binge eating or bulimic behaviors (e.g., binge eating, purging or vomiting, or compensatory binge eating through diuretic or laxative use, excessive exercise, dietary restrictions, etc.) , has been shown to tend to do so impulsively (also called “negative urgency” in the research field) as a response to distress.
“So why hasn’t this been seen in individuals who are intermittent fasting or binge eating?” Schuler continued. “Well, I don’t have much to offer at this point. need to be investigated further. “
This study, like all studies, contains several caveats. For example, the lack of racial/ethnic diversity and focus on college students may limit the generalizability of our findings.
“In general, these questions should be asked among a more diverse group of people,” explains Schueler. “Our study lacked racial/ethnic diversity and focused only on undergraduates. It is not necessarily applicable to people with less
“Furthermore, we did not examine other important psychological variables such as depression, anxiety, mood lability (rapid, often extreme mood changes), and suicidal tendencies. It is a limitation and needs to be investigated further.Future research”.
the study, “Differences between intermittent fast eaters and non-bulimic, impulsive, intuitive and careful eating groupsWritten by Jordan Schuler, Samantha R. Phillip, Daria Vitas, Solangia Engler, Cherecce A. Fields
