The popularity of intermittent fasting has grown over the last years, partly by a series of scientific studies that endorsed their potential when helping us lose weight. However, sometimes the results of individual studies do not agree with the global image of the matter.
Not so effective. A new study has questioned the ability of intermittent fasting as a superior way of losing weight. The analysis concluded that, although some forms of intermittent fasting could offer a slight advantage, the results obtained with these were not significantly better than those obtained with the simple caloric restriction.
The intermittent fasting. The intermittent fasting concept refers to a series of diets based on a temporary caloric restriction. We cannot speak of a single flash form since this temporary restriction can occur in several ways.
Conventional forms of intermittent fasting imply not consuming any food during a specific time window, more or less broad, in certain days, which can be alternate or successive and in different proportions. It can also refer to drastically restricting the calories we consume in certain days of the week. Sometimes a non -intermittent hourly restriction is also included in these diets, that is, a more conventional fast.
Review and meta -analysis. Evaluating the effect of these diets is not easy, but over the last decades, various teams of researchers have launched to it, obtaining very diverse results and sometimes even contradictory. Solving this type of discrepancies is what is sought with the tool we call meta -analysis.
Metaanalysis start from a systematic review of literature in which the team compiles all studies in the field in a specific time interval. Metaanalysis consists in the statistical evaluation of the results obtained in compiled quantitative studies to obtain an average effect through a broader sample which allows strength to the conclusions. In other words, solve discrepancies.
6,582 participants. In this case, meta -analysis included 99 individual studies that added in total 6,582 participants. As explained by the team responsible for the new study, among these participants, the average body mass index was 31 and about 90% had some health disease or condition.
The results showed that fasting on alternate days (restricting our food consumption to alternate days) was the only option that showed an observable benefit in weight reduction. However, this reduction (1.29 kg on average) did not exceed the 2 kg threshold defined by the study responsible for the study.
The details of the study were published in an article in the magazine BMJ.
99 studies, and we still need more. Metaanalysis usually serve to settle scientific knowledge in one subject, but at least in this case it is still more to investigate, admits the responsible team. The heterogeneity of dietary strategies, the small size of the samples and the limited evidence are limiting factors indicated by the team.
“The evidence today provides some indication that diets based on intermittent fasting have continuous energy restriction benefits for weight loss and cardiomethabolic factors.
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