Energy balance
Intermittent fasting (IF) produces weight loss (0.8% to 13.0% of baseline) that is equivalent to continuous calorie restriction, regardless of whether total caloric intake is restricted on non-fasting days.
Intermittent fasting is a viable weight loss strategy for overweight and obese individuals, producing results similar to traditional calorie restriction. You can choose from various protocols, such as a 16-hour daily fast or fasting two days a week with reduced calories. The key is consistency; hunger often decreases over time, and adherence is comparable to other diets. While most studies are short-term, IF shows promise as a primary care intervention for obesity.
In all 27 trials (n = 944 IF participants), IF resulted in weight loss, ranging from 0.8% to 13.0% of baseline body weight... Weight loss occurred regardless of changes in overall caloric intake... Twelve studies used calorie-restricted diets as a comparator to IF and found equivalent weight loss in both groups.
Why this rating
The review includes 18 RCTs (Level I) but notes they are small, short-duration, and heterogeneous.
Source
Intermittent fasting and weight loss: Systematic review.
Stephanie Welton et al. · PubMed · 2020
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