The Internet is full of diets and dietary advice. In recent years, much has been written about intermittent fasting. This is only eating inside an 8-hour window, leaving a 16-hour gap with no food. Supporters of this say it improves metabolism and helps cellular repair. However, a new study has cast doubt on its merits. Researchers in Shanghai concluded that people who restricted their eating to eight hours a day faced a 91 per cent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases than those who ate across a period of 12 to 16 hours.

The researchers analyzed data from 20,000 adults over a six-year period. The lead researcher said he was taken aback by his findings. He said: "We were surprised to find that people who followed…a time-restricted eating schedule were more likely to die from cardiovascular disease." He added: "Our study's findings encourage a cautious…approach to dietary recommendations, ensuring they are aligned with an individual's health status." The Mayo Clinic says fasting has been popular for over 1,500 years, but advised it is "safer with supervision from your healthcare team".