Feeling a little off balance or disoriented? Well, a recent study published in Nutrition Journal warned women against skipping meals, as it causes a decline in physical balance (2010;9:18). The counterbalanced two-week crossover study involved 22 young healthy women (age 22+/- 1.5). Participants were asked to refrain from consuming any food or beverage for 12 hours prior to the fasting trial and to maintain their regular diet for the non-fasting trial. Measures included: a background questionnaire, 24-hour dietary recall, and functional reach and timed single-limb stances. Fasting resulted in significant declines in functional reach (P<0.01), and ability to balance in a single limb stance with eyes open, on both the dominant and non-dominant legs (P<0.01 and P<0.01, respectively), and with eyes closed on the dominant leg (P<0.01).