Intermittent fasting is no better for weight loss than eating throughout the day, study finds

As more people become overweight and obese, the diet fad is becoming more popular than ever. One of the most popular diets today is intermittent fasting, an eating pattern that alternates between periods of fasting and eating. Previous studies have linked intermittent fasting to weight loss.

Now, a team of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco has found that intermittent fasting is no better for weight loss than eating consistent meals throughout the day.

The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, with the aim of determining the effect of time-restricted eating on weight loss and metabolic health in overweight and obese patients.

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No weight gain

In the randomized trial of 116 overweight or obese people, the researchers randomized patients into two groups: the constant mealtime group (CMT) and the time-restricted eating group (TRE).

In the CMT group, participants were asked to eat three structured meals per day, while the TRE group were asked to eat Optional, or from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The last group was also instructed to avoid caloric intake from 8:00 PM to 12:00 PM the next day.

The clinical trial lasted 12 weeks and included both men and women between the ages of 18 and 64. The participants have a body mass index (BMI) of 27 to 43. The researchers also provided Bluetooth scales to monitor the progress of their weight loss.

After 12 weeks, both groups lost some weight from baseline, approximately 2.07 pounds on the time-restricted diet and 1.5 pounds on the constant food group. However, there were no notable differences in secondary measures, such as changes in weight, lean mass, fat mass, fasting insulin, hemoglobin A1c levels, among others.

In the study findings, the team found that intermittent fasting or time restricted eating was associated with a modest weight loss, which was not significantly different from the decrease in the control group.

“Time-restricted eating, in the absence of other interventions, is no more effective for weight loss than eating throughout the day,” the team concluded.

“Our results are consistent with a previous study showing that the recommendation to skip breakfast does not affect weight outcomes in patients trying to lose weight, but contradicts previous reports describing the beneficial effects of ERT on weight loss and other metabolic risk markers, “they added. .

The team added that a ERT prescription did not result in weight loss, compared to a control prescription of three meals a day. TRE did not change any relevant metabolic markers.

Intermittent fasting and its benefits

Intermittent fasting has become increasingly popular and mainstream lately.

Contrary to study findings, previous studies have shown the health benefits of intermittent fasting, including reduction of high blood sugar levels, cell repair, reduction of insulin resistance, decreased inflammation in the body and promoting heart health.

For example, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Short-term fasting increases your metabolic rate by 3.6 to 14 percent, helping you burn even more calories.

Also, previous studies have shown that intermittent fasting could boost weight loss, but the key could be calorie reduction. In some cases, fasting could lead to faster weight loss if participants cut up to 500 calories a day. This means that the reported weight loss could be related to calorie restriction, rather than intermittent fasting.