Time-restricted eating, a common weight loss strategy better known as intermittent fasting, is associated with a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular death.

A study published by the American Heart Association (AHA) found that a group of 20,000 adults who followed an eight-hour time-restricted eating schedule had a 91% higher risk of dying from heart disease than those who followed a time-restricted eating schedule. It has been found. Meals last from 12 to 16 hours.

The findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions on Epidemiology and Prevention | Lifestyle and Cardiometabolism in Chicago last week, but the study has not yet been peer-reviewed.

Here are the details:

What is time-restricted eating?

There are several types of intermittent fasting, but they all follow the same concept of alternating fasting and eating.

In a time-restricted approach, dieters only eat during certain times.

For example, the 16/8 method allows you to fast for 16 hours and then eat within 8 hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Other versions include fasting for a full 24 hours once or twice a week, or consuming only a limited number of calories on the fasting days.

The AHA said in a press release that previous research has shown that time-restricted eating can improve important indicators related to heart health, including blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. Ta.

“Restricting your daily eating time to short periods of time, such as eight hours a day, has become increasingly popular in recent years as a way to lose weight and improve heart health,” said study lead author and professor said Dr. Victor Wenze Zhong, who is also the Chairman. The Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China, said in a statement.

“However, the long-term health effects of time-restricted eating, including the risk of death from any cause or cardiovascular disease, are unknown.”

What are the details of the study?

Researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in Shanghai, China, analyzed information from the annual National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2003 to 2018.

They compared that to deaths recorded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) between 2003 and December 2019.

Those who ate all of their daily meals within eight hours had the highest risk of cardiovascular death (91%), followed by those who ate within 8 to 10 hours (66% risk).

The increased risk of heart-related death was also seen in people with pre-existing heart disease or cancer, the release said.

“While this type of diet was popular due to its potential short-term effects, our study found that compared to the typical eating window range of 12 to 16 hours per day, “Our results clearly show that shorter meal times are not associated with longer lives,” Zhong said in the release.

The researchers followed the participants for an average of eight years, and some for as long as 17 years.

The average age of participants was 49 years.

Researchers followed the participants for an average of eight years, and some for as long as 17 years.

What are the limitations of the study?

Dr. Lou Badramani, a cardiologist and founder of Vital Solutions, an Ohio company that provides cardiovascular and anesthesiology services to hospitals across the country, was not involved in the study but has some insight into the results. provided insight.

“As with all research, the devil is in the details,” he says. “This study provides a discussion point and encourages further research, but it is far from conclusive.”

Badramani pointed out that the fasting habits were based on only two days of recorded eating habits, which were dependent on the participants’ memories.

“There was no documentation of what participants ate while they were not fasting or what their activity levels were,” he noted.

The timing of fasting (day or night) was also unclear.

“It would be a stretch to say conclusively and with certainty that fasting has a direct effect on the incidence of heart attacks,” the cardiologist said.

“Since intermittent fasting has become so common, this certainly raises many questions and supports the need for more comprehensive research.”

Lauren Harris Pincus, R.D., author of The Everything Easy Pre-Diabetes Cookbook, said the study has not yet been fully published or peer-reviewed, meaning a full analysis of the study’s results has not yet been completed. He warned that it was “premature” to do so.

“There appears to be an important variation between the short-term benefits and long-term risks of time-restricted diets.”

She was also not involved in the study.

“While this may suggest a correlation between intermittent fasting and death from cardiovascular disease, it does not prove causation,” a New Jersey-based expert told FOX News Digital. Ta.

“There appears to be an important distinction between the short-term benefits and long-term risks of time-restricted diets.”

She added: “This conclusion negates the positive benefits of time-restricted eating in a series of previous studies, and furthermore, the data were based on self-reported food records at several points in time. ” he added.

Harris-Pincus noted that it is unclear whether the participants followed the time-restricted diet during the study period. Additionally, self-reported food intake can be affected by memory loss and unintentional inaccuracies.

“Additional lifestyle factors that influence overall health are also not evaluated,” she said.

People with medical conditions should consult their doctor or registered dietitian before starting any dietary restrictions, Harris-Pincus recommends.

He added: “Intermittent fasting is recommended for people with a history of an eating disorder or active eating disorder, people with type 1 diabetes who have hypoglycemia or are on insulin, children under 18, and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. “It’s not suitable for women inside,” he added.

Despite the limitations, Tanya Freilich, a registered dietitian who practices Lupus Dietitian in North Carolina, said the study is a “very important addition” to current data on time-restricted eating. Stated.

“Additionally, although this study does not provide details of the participants’ diets, what they eat is very important as well.”

“It has long been noted that time-restricted eating has many benefits. However, this study definitively proves that more is not always better. Freilich, who was not involved in the study, told FOX News Digital.

“There appears to be an important distinction between the short-term benefits and long-term risks of time-restricted diets.”

Freilich said this study supports the importance of receiving personalized nutritional advice.

“For people taking certain medications or who have difficulty maintaining stable blood sugar, blood pressure, or hydration, time-restricted eating can be difficult to maintain and can have negative health consequences. “You could give it away,” she warned.

“Additionally, although this study does not provide details of the participants’ diets, what they eat is very important as well.”

Given the new findings, Freilich advised people on time-restricted eating patterns to consult their doctors to have their cardiovascular health evaluated.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the American Heart Association and researchers for additional comment.