Intermittent fasting: The pros and cons behind the latest diet trend

Fasting is one of the latest diet trends.

It was one of the most googled diets in the United States last year.

But does it work?

IF YOU'RE TRYING TO KICK OFFYOUR NEW YEAR... BY LOSINGWEIGHT, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN SOMEARTICLES ABOUT INTERMITTENTFASTING.

BUT IS IT REALLY THEBEST WAY TO DROP THE EXTRAWEIGHT?THIS MORNING, CONSUMERINVESTIGATOR KRISTIN BYRNELOOKS AT THE PROS AND CONS.THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF DIETSOUT THERE...THE KETO DIET...LOW-CARB, LOW-FAT, HIGH-FAT,VEGAN, PALEO.

NOW INTERMITTENTFASTING IS AN APPROACH THAT'STAKING THE MEDICAL WORLD BYSTORM.

INTERMITTENT FASTINGINVOLVES ALTERNATING PERIODSOFCALORIE RESTRICTION ANDNORMAL EATING...LIKE FASTINGEVERY OTHER DAY FOR EXAMPLE.ASTUDY FOUND MICE WHO ATE AHIGH-FAT DIET AROUND THE CLOCKDEVELOPED FATTY LIVERS ANDDIABETES.BUT THOSE WHO ATE THEEXACT NUMBER OF CALORIESDURING AN EIGHT-HOUR SPAN WERESLIMMER AND HEALTHIER!"Intermittent fasting reducesthe inflammatory profile inthe blood." RESEARCHERSBELIEVE IT CAN HELP WITHWEIGHT LOSS AND ILLNESSES,SUCH AS ARTHRITIS, MIGRAINES,BOWEL DISEASES, AND HIGH BLOODPRESSURE.

IT MIGHT ALSO LOWERTHE RISK OF HEART DISEASE,PARKINSON'S, ALZHEIMER'S ANDMULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.

BUT THEREARE SOME DOWNSIDES: Anne HaneyCross, MD In: :50 Out: :52"It's hard.

I've tried itmyself." (:02) ONE YEAR-LONGSTUDY FOUND THOSE WHO FASTEDHAD HIGHER CHOLESTEROL LEVELSTHAN THOSE WHO DIDN'T.

EXPERTSSAY SKIPPING MEALS CAN EVEN BEDANGEROUS FOR PEOPLE LIKETHOSE WITH DIABETES FORINSTANCE...THE MOST IMPORTANTTHING IS TALKING TO YOURDOCTOR BEFORE TRYING ANY DIETPLAN.

IM CONSUMER INVESTIGATORKRISTIN BYRNEANCHOR CHAT