2026-08-21 13:18:38
Fasting diets could be putting older people at greater risk of long-term illness, scientists have warned.
People aged over 60 who regularly left more than 12 hours between meals were found to accumulate chronic diseases faster than those who ate at shorter intervals.
The link was strongest among the oldest participants, with those aged 78 and over appearing particularly vulnerable.
Researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm studied 2,981 people aged 60 and above, tracking their health over a 15-year period.
They found that the amount of time people went without eating was associated with the accumulation of diseases affecting the heart, lungs and brain.
However, there was no significant link between meal timing and musculoskeletal conditions.
The findings come as intermittent fasting has surged in popularity, with many people deliberately restricting the hours in which they eat in an effort to lose weight or improve their health.
But scientists say much less is known about whether the approach is suitable for older adults.
Dr Adrián Carballo-Casla said: “Much of the research on fasting has been conducted in younger or middle-aged populations.
“Our findings suggest that the associations may be different in older adults, particularly among the oldest age groups.
“Although longer intervals between meals were linked to faster disease accumulation, the study cannot establish whether the fasting pattern independently contributed to this outcome.”
The researchers stressed that the study only identified an association and cannot prove that fasting itself causes older people to develop diseases more quickly.
Other factors linked to meal timing could potentially explain the findings.
The results nevertheless suggest that dietary advice designed for younger adults may not necessarily apply in the same way to people in later life.
For those in their 60s, 70s and beyond, the study raises questions over whether prolonged periods without food could carry different consequences as the body ages.
More research will be needed to establish whether meal timing directly affects disease progression in older people, and whether certain fasting patterns are safe for the oldest adults.
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