Reduced-calorie dieting may be more effective than intermittent fasting

Reduced-calorie dieting may be more effective than intermittent fasting


By some measures, intermittent fasting is one of the most popular diet plans. At least one study suggests that one-fourth of U.S. adults have tried eating only during certain times of day.

While intermittent fasting helps some people lose weight, recent research suggests there may be a more effective tactic: The old-school approach of reducing calories.

To test that premise, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine researchers studied the association between weight change and mealtimes using the electronic health records of more than 550 people in two states.

The researchers also created a mobile app that study participants used to log their eating and sleep habits in real time for six months. The researchers used that information to measure the time between the first and last meals each day.

Here’s what they found: Meal timing had no association with weight change during a six-year follow-up period. That includes the interval between first and last meals, as well as the timing of the day’s final meal relative to bedtime. Weight gains were associated with the total number of medium-sized meals — defined as 500 to 1,000 calories each — and the number of large meals over 1,000 calories.

Overall, researchers found no association between weight change and the timing of meals.

But what about prior studies suggesting that intermittent fasting may help regulate metabolism and body rhythms? The Johns Hopkins researchers found no such link in their large-group study among participants with a wide range of body weights.

Instead of intermittent fasting, the findings suggest a back-to-basics approach: fewer large meals and less eating overall.

 

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