A large review suggests that intermittent fasting may not help people who are overweight or obese lose significant weight. The practice, which involves fasting on some days and eating normally on others, appears to make little difference to weight loss or overall quality of life.
Intermittent fasting includes approaches like the 5:2 diet or eating only within a daily time window of about eight hours. Researchers analyzed 22 studies covering nearly 2,000 adults over periods up to 12 months to compare intermittent fasting with standard dietary advice or no guidance.
The findings showed that intermittent fasting produced almost no advantage over traditional diets focused on reducing calories and eating healthier. Its effects were also similar to doing nothing at all, although its impact on quality of life remains uncertain.
Lead author Luis Garegnani from Universidad Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires cautioned against the online hype around fasting. “Intermittent fasting may suit some individuals, but current evidence does not support the widespread enthusiasm seen on social media,” he said.
Senior co-author Eva Madrid noted that responses vary by person, suggesting that healthcare providers should assess weight-loss strategies individually.
The review, published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, also calls for more research to explore intermittent fasting’s effects on health factors such as type 2 diabetes and other conditions, along with potential differences between men and women and across different body mass indexes.
Experts emphasize that there is no quick solution for weight loss beyond maintaining a healthy diet. Professor Keith Frayn from the University of Oxford said claims about fasting having special metabolic effects are largely unsupported.
While intermittent fasting may help some avoid gaining weight, the review confirms that conventional methods like balanced diets and regular exercise remain the most reliable approach.
Additionally, a growing number of adults in the UK use prescription weight-loss injections such as Wegovy and Mounjaro. However, research shows that those who stop these medications may regain weight faster than individuals who stop conventional dieting and exercise.
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