Carlos Solis
A team from the University of Auckland says skipping meals does not impair cognitive abilities. This particularly applies to intermittent fasting, which involves abstaining from food for several hours each day. Researchers found that this dietary change does not negatively affect the thinking processes of most adults.
Although fasting has become trendy in recent years, people still worry that “skipping meals can seriously diminish mental sharpness,” said David Moro, an associate professor of psychology and the study’s lead author.
“We were certainly surprised, as our results contradict the common belief that fasting inherently reduces cognitive abilities,” Dr. Moro said. He explained that during the study, the cognitive functions of participants performing various tasks remained remarkably stable.
“Many believe that skipping meals leads to an immediate decline in mental acuity, but our meta-analysis proved otherwise,” Dr. Moro emphasized.
How Was the Study Conducted?
The team analyzed data from 71 studies. The authors analyzed data on 3,500 healthy adult volunteers. They were divided into two categories: one group consisted of those who fasted, while the other included those who had recently eaten. Volunteers in the fasting group averaged about 12 hours of fasting per day, the Daily Mail reported. The researchers focused on factors such as memory, decision-making, speed, and response accuracy.
“The performance of those who fasted was surprisingly similar to that of those who had recently eaten; this suggests that cognitive functions remain stable even without food intake,” Dr. Moro explained. He also suggested that fasting might benefit the body in ways beyond weight loss.
Fasting, in particular, triggers important metabolic shifts. “When glycogen stores are depleted, the body uses ketone bodies produced from fat tissue as an alternative energy source. New data suggests that consuming ketones can greatly benefit health, modulate the hormonal system, and activate cellular repair processes associated with longevity,” Dr. Moro stated.
An Exception to the New Findings
During their work, the scientists identified one group that showed a connection between hunger and brain function: children.
Dr. Moro noted, “In children, there was a noticeable decline in performance during fasting, which confirms previous research highlighting the persistent cognitive benefits of breakfast in younger age groups.”
However, the conclusion for the vast majority of the population was quite different: cognitive abilities do not suffer from skipping meals. The study’s results were published in the Psychological Bulletin of the American Psychological Association.
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