Study claims intermittent fasting is no more effective than a traditional diet
The analysis, published in the Cochrane Library, reviewed 22 clinical trials in overweight or obese adults that compared different forms of intermittent fasting.
Intermittent fasting has become popular in recent years as an almost miraculous strategy for weight loss. However, the largest systematic review carried out so far concludes that, although it can help you lose weight, it is not more effective than a conventional low-calorie diet.
What the research says about intermittent fasting
The analysis, published in the Cochrane Library, reviewed 22 clinical trials in overweight or obese adults that compared different forms of intermittent fasting — such as the popular 16:8 model or the 5:2 method — with diets based on daily calorie restriction. The results found no clinically relevant differences in weight loss between the two approaches.
The authors stress that intermittent fasting should not be presented as a superior solution, as weight loss depends on multiple factors, including lifestyle, environment, and above all, the ability to maintain the diet in the long run.
