A meta-analysis of 71 studies involving 3484 participants, published between 1958 and 2025, has found that fasting does not impair cognitive performance in healthy adults. Psychologists David Moreau and Christoph Bamberg analyzed data using 222 cognitive assessment tools, revealing no discernible difference in mental acuity between those who fasted and those who ate regularly. However, the study identified three key factors influencing fasting's psychological effects: age, with children and adolescents showing reduced performance; test timing, as longer fasting periods and later testing times correlated with slight declines; and test type, where fasting individuals performed equally well or better on neutral tasks but showed weaknesses and increased distractibility on food-related tasks. The researchers concluded that fasting should be viewed as a personal tool, with its benefits and challenges varying individually.