Intermittent fasting, like many dieting trends, appears to work well for some people, but a new study suggests it is no more successful than other types of dieting.
A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine compared a group of people following an intermittent fasting regime, where dieters eat within a specific time window, with others who eat whenever they choose but follow a low calorie diet.
Results showed that there was no significant difference in the amount of weight lost.
- Both groups of participants lost an average of 16 pounds during the 12 month trial trial.
- There were a total of 139 participants in the randomized study.
- BMI, body fat, lean body mass, blood pressure, and other health-related factors were not substantially different between the groups.
- Both groups ate between 1500 to 1800 calories per day.
- The study appears to indicate that the primary contributor to weight loss depends upon how much an individual eats in a day, not when they eat.
- The study did not take into account what the individuals ate, however. So it would be interesting to have a follow up trial related to low-carb, high-protein diets, which have already demonstrated in rigorous clinical trials to lead to greater amount of weight lost among participants than those who follow conventional diets.
Our take? Focus on a healthy low-carb diet, lean proteins, daily exercise, eating mindfully, and taking note of portion sizes.