Group differences in binge eating, impulsivity, and intuitive and mindful eating among intermittent fasters and non-fasters

Assessment of Intuitive Eating and Mindful Eating among Higher Education Students: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

The role of mindful eating (ME) and intuitive eating (IE) in improving eating behavior, diet quality, and health is an area of increasing interest.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review was to identify the instruments used to assess ME and IE among higher education students and outcomes related to these dimensions.

METHODS

This review was carried out according to the PRISMA statement, through systematic searches in PubMed, Web of Science, PsycInfo, and Scopus. The inclusion criteria selected for higher education students, levels of ME and/or IE reported, and observational and clinical studies. The exclusion criteria selected against reviews, qualitative studies, and case studies. Quality was assessed using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Criteria Checklist.

RESULTS

A total of 516 initial records were identified, from which 75 were included. Cross-sectional studies were the most common research design (86.7%). Most studies were conducted with samples that were predominantly female (90.7%), White (76.0%), aged 18 to 22 years (88.4%), with BMI < 25 kg/m2 (83.0%), and in the United States (61.3%). The Intuitive Eating Scale (IES), the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ), and their different versions were the most used instruments. The outcomes most studies included were eating behavior and disorders (77.3%), anthropometric assessments (47.8%), mental health (42.0%), and body image (40.6%). Regarding the quality of studies, 34.7% of studies were assigned a positive, 1.3% a negative, and 64.0% a neutral rate.

CONCLUSIONS

IES and MEQ were the most used instruments. RCT and cohort studies are scarce, and future research with a higher level of quality is needed, especially on the topics of food consumption, diet quality, and biochemical markers.

Fasting diets: what are the impacts on eating behaviors, sleep, mood, and well-being?

Fasting diets (FDs) have drawn great attention concerning their contribution to health and disease over the last decade. Despite considerable interest in FDs, the effect of fasting diets on eating behaviors, sleep, and mood-essential components of diet satisfaction and mental health- has not been addressed comprehensively. Understanding the critical role that fasting plays in these elements will open up potential treatment avenues that have not yet been explored. The aim of the present paper was to conduct a comprehensive critical review exploring the effects of fasting on eating behaviors, sleep, and mood. There is currently a lack of clarity regarding which fasting option yields the most advantageous effects, and there is also a scarcity of consistent trials that assess the effects of FDs in a comparable manner. Similarly, the effects and/or treatment options for utilizing FDs to modify eating and sleep behaviors and enhance mood are still poorly understood. Further researches aiming at understanding the impacts of various fasting regimes, providing new insights into the gut-brain axis and offering new treatment avenues for those with resistant anxiety and depression, are warranted. Alteration of eating behaviors can have lasting effects on various physiological parameters. The use of fasting cures can underpin ancient knowledge with scientific evidence to form a new approach to the prevention and treatment of problems associated with co-morbidities or challenges pertaining to eating behaviors. Therefore, a thorough examination of the various fasting regimens and how they impact disease patterns is also warranted.

Longitudinal transactions between negative urgency and fasting predict binge eating

Fasting and negative urgency (the disposition to act rashly when distressed) are risk factors for binge eating. It may be that each influences the other over time to predict binge eating.

OBJECTIVE

This study tested whether (1) fasting predicts binge eating through negative urgency, and (2) negative urgency predicts binge eating through fasting.

METHOD

Path analysis and mediation tests were used to investigate objectives in n = 302 college women assessed three times over eight months. We controlled for each variable at the previous time point, and concurrent negative affect and body mass index at each time point.

RESULTS

Time 1 (T1) fasting predicted elevated negative urgency three months later at Time 2 (T2) and T2 negative urgency predicted increases in binge eating five months later at Time 3 (T3). T2 negative urgency mediated the relationship between T1 fasting and T3 binge eating. T1 negative urgency predicted increases in T2 fasting, which then predicted increases in T3 binge eating. T2 fasting mediated the relationship between T1 negative urgency and T3 binge eating.

DISCUSSION

Findings suggest fasting and negative urgency transact to predict binge eating among college women. Interventions targeting negative urgency may prevent or reduce both fasting and binge eating.

Intermittent Fasting and Its Effects on Weight, Glycemia, Lipids, and Blood Pressure: A Narrative Review

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has become a significant public health concern globally. Weight managementis crucial in controlling MetS risk factors, making energy balance and weight loss strategies important in nutrition recommendations. Intermittent fasting (IF) has gained traction as a dietary approach for weight management and cardiovascular risk reduction. However, the effects of IF on cardiovascular risk factors have been inconsistent in previous studies. This review aims to summarize the effects of various types of IF on body mass index (BMI), glycemia, lipid profile, and blood pressure, while providing insights into their clinical implications. A comprehensive search of interventional studies and meta-analyses was conducted, and the results were analyzed. The findings indicate that different types of IF lead to mixed effects. Time-restricted eating (TRE) and alternate-day fasting (ADF) consistently showed decreases in BMI, while the outcomes of intermittent energy restriction (IER) were more uncertain. The effects of IF on glycemia and lipid profile were also variable, with TRE and ADF generally showing positive results. However, the impact of IER remained inconsistent. More research is needed to understand the long-term effects and optimal implementation of IF for managing metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk factors.