Does Intermittent Fasting Work, and How Can You Do It? What to Know

• A new study conducted in the United Kingdom found that restricted eating plans, otherwise known as intermittent fasting, can be just as effective at helping people lose weight compared to other more complicated diets.
• Intermittent fasting may help reduce overall calorie intake, especially nighttime eating, which can help people lose weight.
• More research is needed to explore the impact intermittent fasting has on our health and how it can be used for weight loss.

A new study conducted in the United Kingdom found that restricted eating plans, otherwise known as intermittent fasting, can be just as effective at helping people lose weight compared to other more complicated diets.

The research, published in PLOS One on Jan. 28, followed a small group of people with obesity over the course of 12 weeks.

The participants, who adhered to the diet the strictest, reported the most weight loss, but even those who followed a less rigid intermittent fasting regimen lost weight.

Research on intermittent fasting has been mixed. While some studies have argued intermittent fasting isn’t a significant driver of weight loss, the bulk of research suggests the eating pattern can have a wide range of health benefits on conditions like obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancers, and neurological disorders.

More research is needed to explore the impact intermittent fasting has on our health and how it can be used for weight loss.