Intermittent fasting as an effective means for weight loss

created on 1/15/18 @ 06:46AM, updated on 1/29/18 @ 09:24PM

Summary
My goal for this board was to examine whether intermittent fasting (IF - short term regular fasting for 16 or 24 hours as opposed to multi-day fasts) would improve weight loss against other alternatives. The baseline recommendation for weight loss is a negative calorie balance which would be the most important control to understand whether IF was a marginal improvement.

The theory goes that IF will improve your body's ability to manage glycemic loads thereby improving your metabolic condition which can be particularly important for people with type II diabetes. While some studies show overall improvement of this effect
[Effects of eight weeks of time-restricted feeding (16/8) on basal metabolism, maximal strength, body composition, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk factors in resistance-trained males [2016, Tatiana Moro]][Effects of intermittent fasting on body composition and clinical health markers in humans [2015, Grant M. Tinsley]], many showed no marginal improvements to metabolism when compared to regular daily calories restriction.[cite_paper id=342][Assessing the evidence for weight loss strategies in people with and without type 2 diabetes [2017, Peter Clifton]][Effect of Alternate-Day Fasting on Weight Loss, Weight Maintenance, and Cardioprotection Among Metabolically Healthy Obese Adults [2017, John F. Trepanowski]].

The evidence is extensive and strong and for now the studies all point to a common conclusion, IF is no better at helping weight loss than regular calorie restrictions. As importantly, these studies show that IF also does not reduce the risk of weight rebounding[cite_paper id=342].

That said, it is important to note that also means IF is AS EFFECTIVE as daily calorie restrictions and these methods are not dangerous for a healthy adult or diabetic adult. Anecdotally I have a diabetic friend who has been practicing IF for an extended period. He tracks his glucose levels regularly and finds no danger for himself.

Done in moderation, IF can be used as an alternative weight loss method and offers another tool in battling obesity.
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William Fan

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