Chris Martin’s one-meal-a-day habit – why is it so popular with famous men, and does it really have health benefits?

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin sparked online debate today when he revealed he only eats one meal a day.

The 46-year-old singer said he started the strict diet after having lunch with 73-year-old Bruce Springsteen, who was “in better shape” than him.

There is a significant amount of research, going back at least a decade, that suggests that intermittent fasting can extend a person’s life, induce weight loss, and reduce the risk of diseases including diabetes and Alzheimer’s.

Limiting calories and time spent digesting food intake has been suggested to reduce levels of inflammation in the body and give cells time to flush toxic products from the body that could be harmful.

However, a small body of research has emerged in recent years linking the trend to shorter lifespans and a higher risk of heart disease. Experts suspect this may be because intermittent fasters eat more in one session, which they say can damage cells.

Chris Martin (previously left; to right) has undergone a major weight loss over the past few years

Chris Hemsworth (left) and Hugh Jackman (right) are among the celebrities who followed the once-a-day diet, Martin said

But these are early findings, and experts say intermittent fasting is still better than overeating, as obesity causes a variety of health problems.

Martin also hasn’t revealed what he eats, although he joked that it’s usually buffalo flank and steroid sauce.

However, he said he was a terrible cook – he said he had to call the fire department because he tried cooking twice in the last 10 years.

Other celebrities who have signed up for the diet in the past include Mark Wahlberg, Chris Hemsworth and Hugh Jackman.

The one-meal-a-day diet has also become popular with men in recent years as an effective way to lose weight – especially at this time of year when many are preparing for their summer bodies.

Proponents of intermittent fasting have highlighted some of the diet plan’s prescribed health benefits.

They included a large Canadian meta-analysis published in 2020 that analyzed 27 out of 27 studies that found people using the plan could lose up to 13 percent of their weight without serious side effects.

Another meta-analysis published in 2015 by researchers from Salt Lake City, Utah, suggested that the plan reduces the likelihood that people will develop coronary heart disease or diabetes.

Intermittent fasting may increase risk of premature death by 30%, study

A study of 24,000 Americans over 40 found that those who ate one meal a day were 30 percent more likely to die from any cause within 15 years than those who ate three meals.

Research has also found that the habit can increase cells’ sensitivity to insulin, which may be due to less of the hormone being released daily, further reducing the risk of diabetes.

Studies in mice have shown that the diet plan can increase longevity and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.

Rodents on the diet appear to be less prone to accumulation of dangerous beta-amyloid proteins in the brain.

However, these benefits have yet to be confirmed in humans – some studies now suggest the opposite.

A study published last year that followed 24,000 Americans over the age of 40 warned that those who ate one meal a day were 30 percent more likely to die from any cause in 15 years than those who ate three meals a day. ate

This was true even when people exercised, ate a healthy diet and rarely smoked or drank alcohol, the researchers claimed.

Scientists suspect this is because fasting people end up eating a large amount of food at once, which can put extra stress on the body as it tries to digest many calories and nutrients at once.

However, they added that it is too early to say for sure that intermittent fasting played a role in causing early deaths.

Another suggested that intermittent fasting was no more effective for weight loss than restricting calorie intake.

And a third study in mice suggested that skipping breakfast could increase your risk of developing heart disease or cancer.

Experts have previously warned DailyMail.com that people should be careful when intermittent fasting.