Energy balance
Intermittent energy restriction (IER) produces weight loss comparable to continuous energy restriction (CER) in overweight and obese adults over short-term periods (up to 12 months).
If you are overweight or obese, intermittent fasting (eating very little on 1-6 days a week) will help you lose weight just as well as eating a little less every day. It is not a magic bullet for superior weight loss, but it is a valid alternative strategy. Choose the pattern that you can stick to for at least 12 weeks.
Although both treatment interventions achieved similar changes in body weight (approximately 7 kg), the pooled estimate for studies that investigated the effect of intermittent energy restriction in comparison to continuous energy restriction revealed no significant difference in weight loss (-1.03 kg; 95% CI -2.46 kg to 0.40 kg; p = 0.156).
Why this rating
Moderate quality evidence based on GRADE assessment, though limited by risk of bias and imprecision due to few studies.
Source
Intermittent fasting interventions for treatment of overweight and obesity in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Leanne Harris et al. · The JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports · 2018
DOI 10.11124/jbisrir-2016-003248
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