Skipping breakfast doesn’t hurt thinking ability in healthy adults
Skipping breakfast or intermittent fasting doesn’t impair cognitive function in healthy adults in the short term, a new study finds.
Why it matters
- Fasting and intermittent fasting are popular trends, and understanding their cognitive effects is important.
- Previous studies have shown mixed results, so this study provides clarity.
By the numbers
- 100 healthy adults participated in the study.
- 71 studies and 3,484 participants were included in the meta-analysis.
- Fasting intervals longer than 12 hours showed modest reductions in cognitive performance.
The big picture
- Short-term fasting does not significantly impair cognitive function in healthy adults.
- Children may be more vulnerable to the effects of fasting on cognitive performance.
- Cognitive performance is more affected by food-related stimuli during fasting.
What they're saying
- Personal anecdotes highlight individual differences in how food intake affects cognitive performance.
- Experts note nuances in fasting effects, particularly in children and with longer fasting periods.
Caveats
- The study focused on short-term effects, and long-term impacts were not assessed.
- Children showed greater performance deficits compared to adults.
What’s next
- Further research could explore the long-term effects of fasting on cognitive performance.
- Studies could investigate the impact of different fasting durations and their effects on various age groups.