Intermittent fasting found to outperform daily calorie restriction for weight loss

A year-long study indicates that fasting three days a week leads to greater weight loss and health benefits than daily calorie counting, though further research is needed to confirm long-term safety and applicability.

A clinical trial involving 165 participants found that the 4:3 intermittent fasting method resulted in a 7.6% average body weight loss, compared to 5% with daily calorie restriction over 12 months.
The fasting group also saw modestly better cardiometabolic outcomes, including improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol, and fasting glucose levels.
Participants in the fasting group were more likely to achieve at least 5% weight loss, with a lower dropout rate (19%) compared to the calorie restriction group (30%).
Researchers suggest that the flexibility of fasting three non-consecutive days per week reduces cognitive burden, making it easier to adhere to than daily calorie restriction.
The study's findings are limited by its single-site design and participant demographics, with 73.9% of participants being women, highlighting the need for broader research.