A view of the cuisine during the National Eating Disorder Association's Annual Gala on April 2, 2019 in New York City.
In previous years, famous diets that promise good results emerged online and were a hot topic among dieters and health enthusiasts. Apart from the Keto Diet that stands in the spotlight, Intermittent Fasting is also one of the famous diet trends people are curious about.
However, aside from the benefits it offers, the favorite diet also has a dark side that people rarely talk about.
When we talk about fasting, this diet trend describes a\how an individual should pursue the diet: having time restrictions when it comes to eating, which means you only get to eat for the desired hours then after that you won't eat anything. Seems easy, right?
Dark Side of Intermittent Fasting
According to Centers for Discovery, different types of fast are recurring among people or dieters nowadays, including the 12-hour fast and the alternate-day fasting. They add that the thought behind the famous diet trend is that after carbohydrates deplete the body, the body starts to burn fat and lose weight around 12-24 hours after starvation, making it an effective way of losing weight.
Read also: Exercising on an Empty Stomach: A Faster Approach to Lose Weight
However, the New York Post notes that experts fear the restraining routine because this kind of practice may cover the possibility of an eating disorder. NY post mentions registered dietitian Tammy Beasley with the post, describing the diet trend as a wolf in sheep's clothing, making them wish that intermittent fasting has a warning stamp.
In addition, Men's Health also shares that intermittent fasting is not risk-free because it is not recommended who might develop mood swings and irritability that may affect your work and your family.
Executive director for the National Association of Anorexia, Nervosa, and Associated Disorder, Lynn Slawsky, notes in an interview with the New York Post the trendy diets can lead to risky behaviors. She adds that people may develop binge eating disorder and bulimia that may develop into physical and psychological problems.
Is Intermittent Fasting for Everyone?
Basing on the expert's preview, the answer would be no. This should be taken into account before diving into a diet trend that is working for someone. Even with the risk of developing dangerous behaviors, the New York Post notes that more and more people are still engaging themselves in the fasting league.
Like what NY post comments, a factor that may have enticed people to dive into the trend is because famous people practice this diet method.
Center for Discovery notes that this diet trend should be discouraged to people who have higher caloric needs, especially underweight people, struggling with weight gain, pregnant women, and those under the age of 18 years old because it may impair their development.
Men's Health points out that before getting into intermittent fasting, it is best to consult your physician to know more about the dark side of intermittent fasting. This is because its side effects are usually not tackled, outshined by its fame and promise of good results to dieters who wish to lose weight.
Related article: Intermittent Fasting Tips for Every Beginner
WATCH: How Intermittent Fasting Works from Alila Medical Media
