Nutrition & DietIntermittent Fasting Matches Continuous Calorie Restriction for Weight Loss in Overweight Adults
A new systematic review analyzed 26 clinical trials to determine how intermittent fasting (IF) affects weight loss in overweight and obese adults. All included studies showed statistically significant reductions in body weight across intervention periods ranging from 3 to 50 weeks. Different IF protocols — including 16:8 time-restricted eating, alternate-day fasting, and the 5:2 approach — produced meaningful improvements in fat mass, lean mass, BMI, and waist circumference. Alternate-day fasting and the 16:8 protocol showed the most consistent evidence. Notably, IF was broadly comparable in effectiveness to continuous calorie restriction, suggesting it works as well but may be easier to sustain. The review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines and assessed bias rigorously, with most included RCTs rated low risk of bias.
