Intermittent fasting 4: 3 led to a higher weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity compared to daily caloric restriction
A randomized clinical study has shown that the Intermittent fasting 4: 3combined with a complete behavioral support, produced one slightly higher weight loss Compared to daily caloric restriction in overweight adult subjects or obesity. The results were published in the authoritative magazine Annals of Internal Medicine.
The Intermittent fasting 4: 3 It is a form of cyclical fasting in which they alternate Three days a week of modified fasting to Four days of free but aware nutrition. It is called “4: 3” because, in a week of seven days, Four are the days when you can eat normally And There are three days of caloric restriction.
How fasting 4: 3 works
A team of researchers from the University of Colorado School of Medicine involved 165 Overweight or obese adultsby randomly assigning them to one of the two groups: one followed intermittent fasting 4: 3, the other a daily caloric restriction diet. The study lasted 12 monthsduring which both groups received group behavioral supporta free subscription to the gym and indications to carry out at least 300 minutes of exercise per week.
In the intermittent fasting group, the participants had to follow a regime with 80% restriction of the caloric contribution for three non -consecutive days per weekwhile in the remaining four days they could eat freely, with the invitation to do healthy food choices. On the contrary, the group with daily caloric restriction had a daily goal designed to create an energy deficit of 34.3%.
All participants received detailed nutritional indicationsaimed at reaching a division of the macronutrients of the 55% of carbohydrates, 15% protein and 30% fatas well as practical instructions on the count of calories.
More favorable results for fasting
At the end of the 12 months, the subjects of the group with intermittent fasting recorded one reduction in body weight of 7.6%compared to 5% of the daily caloric restriction group. Furthermore, 58% of fasting participants has reached at least 5% weight loss against the 47% of the other group.
In addition to weight loss, intermittent fasting has brought Improvements in cardiometabolic parametersincluding:
According to the authors, these results show that intermittent fasting could favor greater adherence to the dietas it does not require a daily caloric count or continuous restriction. For this reason, it should be considered among the Diet strategies based on evidence for weight management.
