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A few years ago, it felt like everyone and their mom was leaning into some form of time-restricted eating to lose weight, improve energy levels, and boost overall health. While there\u2019s now more of a focus on getting in plenty of protein<\/a> and fiber<\/a>, there are still some intermittent fasting<\/a> diehards out there.<\/p>\n But while there\u2019s some research to support the benefits of intermittent fasting, scientific data haven\u2019t really shown this eating plan to be an effective weight-loss strategy. Now, there\u2019s one more study<\/a> to add to the list.<\/p>\n A new analysis of 22 randomized clinical trials found that those who followed an intermittent fasting diet didn\u2019t lose more weight than those who followed standard diet advice or followed no specific dietary program. What\u2019s behind this, and what does it suggest for intermittent fasting going forward? Experts break it down.<\/p>\n Meet the experts<\/strong>: Diane Rigassio Radler, PhD<\/a>, study co-author and an associate professor of clinical nutrition at Rutgers University School of Health Related Professions; Caroline Fox, RDN<\/a>, clinical bariatric dietitian at Tufts Medicine Weight + Wellness, Stoneham, Massachusetts<\/p>\n What did the study find?<\/strong><\/p>\n The latest study, published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, examined health and nutrition data from nearly 2,000 adults. The clinical trials featured in the study examined different types of intermittent fasting, including the popular 16:8 method, which involves fasting for 16 hours with an eight-hour eating window. Most studies followed participants for a year.<\/p>\n The researchers compared the impact of intermittent fasting with that of traditional diet advice, as well as with people who didn\u2019t follow a structured program. They found no clinically meaningful impact on weight loss across any of these groups. This means people who followed standard diet advice lost the same amount of weight as those who did time-restricted eating or just did their own thing. <\/p>\n \u201cCompared to regular dietary advice, intermittent fasting may result in little to no difference in percentage from baseline weight loss,\u201d the researchers wrote in the conclusion. Researchers also found no clinically meaningful impact when comparing intermittent fasting with no intervention at all. <\/p>\n Why isn\u2019t intermittent fasting great for weight loss?<\/strong><\/p>\n This isn\u2019t the only study to find that intermittent fasting isn\u2019t the best approach for weight loss. A 2023 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association<\/a> analyzed data from 547 obese or overweight participants who used an app to track when they ate, what they ate, and when they slept for at least a day. Researchers found no link between following an intermittent fasting diet and weight loss.<\/p>\n A 2024 scientific review published in The BMJ<\/a> looked at 99 clinical trials on people who were obese or overweight and found that intermittent fasting was no more effective than traditional calorie-restricted diets for weight loss. All of these findings don\u2019t mean you can\u2019t lose weight on an intermittent fasting diet\u2014it\u2019s just that time-restricted eating isn\u2019t helpful for most. <\/p>\n One potential reason intermittent fasting might backfire is that it\u2019s not sustainable, says Caroline Fox, RDN<\/a>, clinical bariatric dietitian at Tufts Medicine Weight + Wellness in Stoneham, Massachusetts.<\/p>\n The rigid meal timing of intermittent fasting may not align with a person\u2019s hunger cues, and therefore lower the odds that someone will stick to it, Fox explains. <\/p>\n More on Intermittent Fasting<\/p>\n Plus, intermittent fasting still requires you to watch what you eat when you\u2019re not fasting. \u201cIf a patient is still consuming too many calories during their eating window or eating more of their calories at night, [intermittent fasting] may ultimately not be effective for weight loss and actually promote more fat storage,\u201d Fox adds. <\/p>\n
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