A number of intermittent fasting approaches can aid weight loss for people with obesity, yet the total pounds shed may fall short of delivering meaningful health benefits. A study from Bond University in Australia, published in JAMA Network Open, explored this issue.
Researchers pooled data from 29 randomized clinical trials that included 2,485 adults. About 69% were women, and the average age was 44. The mean body mass index stood at 33 kg/m2, placing most participants in the obesity range.
Among the interventions examined were time-restricted eating, lowering meal frequency to eight meals per day, and concentrating most calories in the first half of the day. Each approach produced weight losses of roughly 1.3 to 1.8 kg over three months. In parallel, participants showed lower glycated hemoglobin, referred to as HbA1c, and fasting glucose levels. Still, the small scale of these changes means the implications for diabetes risk remain uncertain.
Researchers described these dietary strategies as straightforward options for weight loss. Yet the modest weight reductions observed may not translate into notable health advantages. Obesity affects roughly one in eight people worldwide and raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.
Many trials in the analysis carried limitations in design and reporting. Scientists say that larger, longer studies are needed to draw firmer conclusions.
Earlier research has examined whether work-related stress can influence heart health.