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New research contradicts the common belief that skipping meals or intermittent fasting acutely impairs mental sharpness in adults. A study published by the American Psychological Association found that intermittent fasting is unlikely to affect most adults' thinking in the short term. Lead author David Moreau noted that cognitive performance remained remarkably stable across a broad range of diverse tasks, challenging widespread assumptions about hunger's impact. Researchers analysed 71 existing studies involving 3,484 healthy adults, concluding there was generally no consistent evidence that short-term fasting impaired mental performance. While fasting may offer health benefits beyond weight loss, some evidence suggests cognitive declines in children and potentially after more than 12 hours of fasting, particularly in food-related tasks.
