- Extensive research has been done on various weight loss methods and their effectiveness.
- Intermittent fasting (IF) is a popular component of weight loss diets, but researchers are still working to understand its benefits and drawbacks.
- Data from a recent study found that eating only at certain times of the day may not contribute significantly to weight loss.
- Studies suggest that reducing calories and the number of large meals may be more effective for weight loss than IF.
Weight loss may be necessary to maintain a healthy weight, and there are many ways to lose weight.
Intermittent fasting, or eating only at specific time intervals, is one method that has gained popularity in recent years. I’m still working to understand what the impact is.
A recent study published in
The results show that intermittent fasting and restricting meals to specific times may not be effective for long-term weight loss.
Several
However, researchers are still working to understand the potential dangers of intermittent fasting and how to weigh these risks against potential benefits. is the required area.
Beata Rydyger, a registered dietitian based in Los Angeles, California and a clinical nutrition advisor at Zen Nutrients, who was not involved in the study, pointed out challenges in studying eating behavior. medical news today:
“Generally speaking, diet studies are more difficult because dietary changes do not have immediate health effects. Most study participants find it difficult to keep track of what they eat.” and few people can stick to the diet long enough to measure its beneficial effects.
“Intermittent fasting proponents highlight a variety of potential benefits supported by research, including improved weight loss, thinking and memory, type 2 diabetes, tissue health, and even physical performance. ”
— Beata Rydyger, Nutritionist
The study included 547 participants recruited from three different healthcare systems.
Researchers used electronic medical records and a dedicated mobile app called Daily24 to collect information about participants. Participants were able to record when they ate, how much they ate, when they went to bed, and when they woke up.
For each meal recorded, participants estimated meal size as less than 500 calories (small), 500–1,000 calories (medium), or 1,000 calories or more (large).
The author of the study, Dr. Wendy Bennett, detailed the study method, MNT:
“We designed an app to collect ‘meal timings’, and when participants entered their timings, we also asked for their meal size (small, medium, or large). A participant from three medical institutions used the app during her six months. We linked the app data with the electronic medical record survey data. ”
Dr. Bennett then analyzed the relationship between meal intervals, including participants’ total meal time, time from waking to bedtime, and time from last meal to bedtime, and weight change was approximately 6 years and older. said. Year.
The researchers found that the timing from the first meal to the last meal of the day was not associated with weight changes. found to be associated with an increase in
“The main clinical implication is that restricting the timing of meals (i.e., eating less and fasting longer) may not reduce weight gain over time. Eating more medium or large meals leads to weight gain over time, and smaller meals are associated with weight loss over time.”
— Dr. Wendy Bennett
In some of their analyzes, the researchers found that eating soon after waking and having a longer time between the last meal and going to bed may be associated with less weight gain. discovered.
Dr. Catherine Saunders, co-founder of Intellihealth and Obesity Physician and practitioner at Intellihealth telemedicine Flyte Medical, who was not involved in the study, said: MNT The main finding was not surprising.
“Researchers found an association between eating more meals more often and weight gain, suggesting that total caloric intake is a major factor in weight gain. This is not surprising,” she said.
“More interestingly, [a] Shorter time from waking to first meal and longer time from last meal to sleep were associated with less weight gain, suggesting that eating earlier in the day may facilitate weight management. It suggests that there is a
— Dr. Catherine Saunders
Data on intermittent fasting are still emerging, so no studies have fully proven whether this method works or not. This particular study also had some limitations to consider.
First, researchers could only analyze data from study participants who downloaded and used the Daily24 app. This exclusion may have affected the study population and results.
They only recruited participants from three healthcare systems, so the results cannot necessarily be generalized. Nearly 78% of participants were female and Caucasian, indicating the need for more diverse future studies.
Also, the relatively short follow-up period in this study reduced the number of weight measurements and reduced measurement accuracy. The researchers were also unable to measure participants’ intentions to lose weight before they entered the study.
The way the researchers measured the duration of the meal was not able to evaluate more complex fasting strategies. The data also relied on participants’ self-reports, and the foods were neither standardized nor quality-assessed.
“This study did not specifically assess patterns such as intermittent fasting, nor did we assess the dietary quality of the meals reported by the app,” said Dr. Bennett. I’m here. MNT.
“Randomized controlled trials adjusting for caloric intake are needed to further test the role of meal timing in preventing weight gain and weight loss,” she added.
This study shows that other methods of losing weight may be more effective than intermittent fasting. You can manage your weight.
For some, this may mean incorporating intermittent fasting, while others may choose a different strategy. said it was.
“Other research has shown that people may be able to use timed diets and intermittent fasting to reduce their calorie intake and lose weight, so they can adhere to it. For some people, it can still be a useful weight loss tool…the cornerstones of weight loss continue to include self-management,” she said.
Dr. Saunders also noted that different people respond differently to different weight loss strategies, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
“There are so many factors that influence weight loss that they all need to be addressed in individual ways for successful weight loss. There is no such thing as a ‘best diet’; Everyone responds differently to all weight loss approaches, including medications and even bariatric surgery. ”
— Dr. Catherine Saunders
