This Popular Diet Trend Could Be An Eating Disorder In Disguise
Dr. Anne Marie O'Melia is featured in this HuffPost article highlighting how intermittent fasting can provide a cover for problematic restrictive eating.
In the article, Dr. O'Melia discusses how trends like this can be dangerous for those with a predisposition to eating disorders.
“We know that dieting and restriction are the number one predictors of eating disorder onset, particularly in adolescents and young adults,” O’Melia explained. “The promise of short-term benefits like weight loss or metabolic changes pales in comparison to the real and devastating risks: Eating disorders have significant psychiatric and medical consequences, and the highest mortality rate among mental illnesses.”
Spend more than 30 seconds on TikTok, and you’ll hear fitness influencers sing the praises of intermittent fasting. This eating plan is touted as a “lifestyle change” rather than a diet, where people consume calories on a 16:8 plan (fast for 16 hours; eat normally for eight hours), a 5:2 plan (eat normally for five days; fast for two days) or another variation.
The purported benefits of intermittent fasting are numerous: It can curb late-night eating, reduce inflammation, lower your risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, improve gut health and, of course, lead to weight loss.
But for folks who may be affected by disordered eating, intermittent fasting could lead down a slippery slope.
