A history of intermittent fasting is associated with increased disordered eating behaviors - PsyPost

Intermittent fasting, on the other hand, is a popular diet trend that may offer health benefits such as weight loss and improved blood sugar control.

“I am currently working on my PhD in Clinical Psychology, and I have always been interested in learning more about the relationship between disordered eating and risk factors, such as a history of dieting or trying to restrict one’s food intake,” explained study author Jordan Schueler, a graduate student at Texas A&M University.

“Our study results demonstrated that past engagement in intermittent fasting was associated with greater binge eating,” Schueler told PsyPost.

“While binge eating by itself can make someone feel physically and emotionally uncomfortable, it is also linked to several medical and psychological concerns, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, substance abuse, or mood or anxiety disorders ( Hudson et al., 2010; Kornstein et al., 2016).”

“However, more research needs to be done to fully understand how intermittent fasting is associated with harmful psychological effects, such as disordered eating, preoccupation with food, body image concerns, depression, or anxiety,” Schueler said.

In other words, they tended to agree with statements such as “I usually make up my mind through careful reasoning” and “I generally like to see things through to the end.” But no other significant differences in impulsivity emerged.