Fasting for weight loss may also fight disease

Something about the way Americans eat isn't working — and hasn't been for a long time.
The number of obese Americans is now greater than the number who are merely overweight, according to government figures released in January. It's as if once we taste food, we can't stop until we've gorged ourselves.
Taking that inclination into account, some people are adopting an unusual solution to overeating. Rather than battling temptation at restaurants, grocers and their own kitchens, they simply don't eat. At least, not at certain times of the day or specific days of the week.
Called intermittent fasting, this rather stark approach to weight control appears to be supported by science, not to mention various religious and cultural practices around the globe. The practice is a way to become more circumspect about food, its adherents say. But it also seems to yield the benefits of calorie restriction, which may ultimately reduce the risk of some diseases and even extend life. …
[Says] Mark P. Mattson, chief of the laboratory of neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging: "In normal health subjects, moderate fasting — maybe one day a week or cutting back on calories a couple of days a week — will have health benefits for most anybody." Mattson is among the leading researchers on the effects of calorie restriction. …
Not all nutrition professionals see the merits of fasting. …
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