Energy balance
Fasting-based strategies (FBS) produce slightly greater short-term weight loss and fat mass reduction compared to continuous caloric restriction (CCR) in obese adults, but these differences are not clinically significant and disappear in long-term interventions (>6 months).
If your goal is weight loss, fasting strategies (like time-restricted eating) might help you lose a bit more weight and fat in the first few months compared to simply counting calories every day. However, this advantage is small (less than 1 kg) and disappears after 6 months. Since both methods result in similar long-term weight loss, choose the approach that fits your lifestyle and is easier for you to maintain consistently.
FBS led to slightly greater short-term reductions in body weight (−0.94 kg, p = 0.004) and fat mass (−1.08 kg, p = 0.0001) compared to CCR, although these differences are not clinically significant... FBS did not show superior long-term outcomes compared to CCR.
Why this rating
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 RCTs with 623 participants, though risk of bias was noted in allocation concealment and blinding.
Source
Is Fasting Superior to Continuous Caloric Restriction for Weight Loss and Metabolic Outcomes in Obese Adults? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials
Víctor Siles-Guerrero et al. · Nutrients · 2024
DOI 10.3390/nu16203533
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