Intermittent fasting has become a popular dietary approach due to its potential metabolic benefits. However, there has been ongoing debate about which intermittent fasting regimen is the most effective and how it compares to continuous energy restriction. A recent study analyzed data from over 9,800 participants in 153 studies to shed light on this issue. The focus was on three common intermittent fasting regimens: time-restricted eating, alternate-day fasting, and the 5:2 diet, comparing them with continuous energy restriction and usual diets.
The study examined four key metabolic domains: anthropometry, blood pressure, glycemic parameters, and lipid profile, across 14 specific outcomes. By using network meta-analysis, the researchers combined direct and indirect evidence to rank the effectiveness of each dietary strategy based on their impact on metabolic health. The findings were published in the journal BMC Medicine.
The results showed that all intermittent fasting regimens significantly reduced body weight compared to usual diets. Intermittent fasting was found to be more effective than usual diets in 85.4% of the studied metabolic outcomes and outperformed continuous energy restriction in 56.1% of cases. Among the intermittent fasting regimens, alternate-day fasting consistently emerged as the most effective strategy for improving metabolic health, ranking first in 64.3% of the comparisons and second in 14.3%.
This research supports intermittent fasting as a valuable dietary approach for enhancing metabolic health. It outperforms usual diets and shows efficacy comparable to continuous energy restriction. Alternate-day fasting, in particular, stands out as the most promising regimen, consistently delivering significant improvements based on current evidence.
These findings contribute to a better understanding of intermittent fasting as a viable strategy for improving metabolic health and can help shape future dietary recommendations. The study was conducted by Yu-En Chen et al and is titled “Effects of different types of intermittent fasting on metabolic outcomes: an umbrella review and network meta-analysis.”
For more information, you can refer to the study published in BMC Medicine with DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03716-1. This study was provided by National Taiwan University.
In conclusion, intermittent fasting, especially alternate-day fasting, has shown to be an effective approach for improving metabolic health, surpassing traditional diets and showing comparable results to continuous energy restriction. This research provides valuable insights for individuals looking to optimize their dietary habits for better metabolic outcomes.
