Intermittent fasting linked to higher cardiovascular risk: Study

24-Aug-2025

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A new study published in Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research and Reviews has linked intermittent fasting to higher cardiovascular risks.

They found that participants who ate for less than 8 hours a day had a 135% higher risk of cardiovascular mortality (death due to heart and blood vessel diseases) compared to those who ate within a typical 12–14-hour window.

Although the link with overall mortality was weak and inconsistent, the elevated cardiovascular mortality risk persisted across multiple demographic and lifestyle subgroups and in 14 different sensitivity analyses (advanced testing). The authors stressed that these findings do not prove causation.

“Our study provides the first evidence that individuals adhering to a less than 8-hour eating window were more likely to die from cardiovascular disease compared to people who followed a typical 12–14-hour eating window. Although our observational results are subject to residual confounding, people should be extremely cautious about adopting such a short eating window for a long period (for example, over years) in pursuit of cardiovascular health or longevity, as there is no supporting evidence from human studies so far,” said senior author Victor Wenze Zhong.