A Johns Hopkins University study showed that intermittent fasting is not as effective for weight loss as reducing calories consumed.
Those who are trying to lose weight know that there are different ways to lose weight. One of the techniques that has gained more supporters is intermittent fasting, in which the person does not eat for a certain period of the day. However, reducing calorie intake during meals is more effective for weight loss than simply not eating. This is according to a study published in the Journal of the North American Heart Association.
I study
The study was conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, USA, on 550 adults. The mean body mass index (BMI) of the participants was 30.8, which characterizes obesity. The scientists had records of each person’s weight for the average time of six years and three months.
The team created a mobile app, called Daily24, to allow participants to record bedtimes, meals and wakeup times. Recordings should be made for each 24-hour window and in real time. To encourage volunteers to use the system whenever possible, emails, text messages and mobile phone notifications were sent. Based on the information, the researchers were able to measure how much time elapsed between the first and last meal of the day. Also, how many hours each person went without eating after waking up and the interval between the last time she ate anything and going to bed.
The results show that it is more effective to reduce calorie consumption
The results indicate that mealtime was not related to weight change during the follow-up period. On the other hand, the total daily number of large meals (more than 1,000 calories) and medium meals (between 500 and 1,000 calories) has been shown to be associated with an increase in BMI over six years. Those who ate small meals (less than 500 calories) and in smaller quantities per day were able to lose weight.
“While previous research has suggested that intermittent fasting can improve body rhythms and regulate metabolism, this study of a large group with a wide range of body weights found no such link,” says senior author Wendy L. Bennett , professor at Johns Hopkins University. Medical School in Baltimore. “Large-scale, rigorous clinical studies of the relationship between intermittent fasting and long-term weight change are extremely difficult to conduct. However, even short-intervention studies can be invaluable in helping guide future recommendations,” she points out.
Future studies
The study demonstrated that meal frequency and total calorie intake were determinants of weight change. Incidentally, more decisive than meal times. However, the team has not yet been able to demonstrate a direct cause-and-effect relationship, said lead author Di Zhao, MD, of Johns Hopkins’ Division of Cardiovascular and Clinical Epidemiology. “Future studies should include a more diverse population. The majority of participants in the current one were highly educated, white women in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States,” note the research authors.
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Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
