Intermittent Fasting: A Promising Approach to Weight Loss

In a comprehensive review published in The BMJ, intermittent fasting emerges as a potentially effective method for weight loss, comparable to traditional calorie-restricted diets. The study highlights alternate-day fasting as slightly more beneficial, though researchers stress the necessity of prolonged studies to confirm these outcomes.

This research gains urgency against a backdrop of escalating global obesity rates. The World Health Organisation's 2022 findings indicate 2.5 billion adults are overweight, with nearly 900 million classified as obese, conditions that elevate risks for chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension.

The review encompassed 99 randomized clinical trials with over 6,500 adult participants. Although all fasting methods, including time-restricted and whole-day fasting, resulted in minor weight reductions, alternate-day fasting yielded the most pronounced effects without reaching clinically significant benchmarks. The findings underline the need for sustainable and structured dietary interventions.

(With inputs from agencies.)