Research
Energy balance
Intermittent fasting significantly reduces fat mass in overweight/obese adults aged 40+ without metabolic disease, with greater efficacy in those with lower BMI (overweight to mild obesity) and with Time-Restricted Eating (TRF) protocols.
If you use Time-Restricted Eating (TRF), you may see better weight loss results, especially if your BMI is under 32.5.
GoodQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
Subgroup analysis showed that body weight was effectively reduced in overweight or mild obesity people with a BMI less than 32.5 (MD = -1.63 kg, 95% CI: -3.08 to -0.18, p = 0.03). Subgroup analysis showed effective weight loss with the TRF intervention (MD = -3.14 kg, 95% CI: -5.29 to -1.00, p = 0.004).
Why this rating
Based on subgroup analysis of RCTs.
Source
Effectiveness of an intermittent fasting diet versus regular diet on fat loss in overweight and obese middle-aged and elderly people without metabolic disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Ke Yao et al. · The journal of nutrition health & aging · 2024
DOI 10.1016/j.jnha.2024.100165
Meta-analysis · 9 studiesCited 23×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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