Does fasting shrink the stomach?

According to the European Food Information Council, fasting does not shrink the stomach. WebMD also states that eating less doesn't make the stomach smaller, and that the size of an adult stomach remains the same unless a person has stomach-reduction surgery.

The European Food Information Council explains that when a person doesn't eat anything for hours, the stomach becomes almost empty and resembles a deflated balloon. However, when the stomach is full, it can expand and accommodate around 4 liters of food. Fasting doesn't shrink the stomach, but rather just leaves it in its "deflated" state. When the fasting ends and the person eats again, the stomach expands.