Fasting After 60? Gaps Between Meals Tied to Faster Disease in Older Adults
The association was strongest in adults 78 and older, and researchers said the study cannot prove that meal timing caused the faster buildup.
- On Thursday, August 20, 2026, a Karolinska Institutet study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine found older adults with longer daily meal intervals accumulate chronic diseases more rapidly than those with shorter gaps.
- Researchers analyzed data from 2,981 participants in the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen, known as SNAC-K, following individuals aged 60 and older for up to 15 years.
- Individuals who left 14 to 24 hours between meals showed faster disease accumulation compared to those with 6 to 11.5 hour gaps, with effects most pronounced among participants aged 78 and older.
- The study found associations with cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric diseases but not musculoskeletal conditions; Adrián Carballo Casla, the study's last author, noted the research cannot establish whether fasting patterns independently caused these outcomes.
- Interest in fasting diets has surged in recent years, but scientists caution these trends may not suit older populations, as relatively little is known about how meal timing specifically impacts health in this age group.
28 Articles
28 Articles
Longer intervals between meals associated with faster accumulation of chronic diseases
Older adults who typically had longer intervals between meals accumulated chronic diseases more rapidly over time than those with shorter intervals, according to a study from Karolinska Institutet published in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Fasting Linked To Faster Disease Accumulation
Fasting Linked To Faster Disease Accumulation Intermittent fasting, and fasting in general, has been a popular fad health gimmick, but the science isn't on its side. Instead, proponents believe mice are little people so if mice weaned on starvation diets lived longer, people would also. News Account Thu, 08/20/2026 - 13:27 Categories Public Health
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BIOENGINEER.ORGLonger gaps between meals linked to faster disease buildup in older adults
A new study of older adults has found that people who routinely went longer without eating accumulated chronic diseases more quickly over time, challenging the popular idea that extended daily fasting is broadly beneficial regardless of age. The research, conducted by scientists at Karolinska Institutet and published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, examined habitual meal timing in nearly 3,000 adults living in Stockholm. The association was…
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