A new study from Brazil suggests that trendy intermittent fasting may be the reason for increasing insulin levels and the amount of abdominal fat. It also may lead to the damage of pancreatic cells.

Intermittent fasting diet is a diet when a dieting person has “fast” days with a drastic restriction on calorie intake and “feast” days when one is allowed to eat anything.

For the study, a team of researchers placed healthy, adult rats on the diet for 3 months. During this period, scientists measured and monitored their insulin levels, function, body weight, and free radical levels.

At the end of the research, the rodents had lost weight according to expectations, but the distribution of their body fat changed unexpectedly — the amount of abdominal fat increased which is deeply associated with type 2 diabetes.