The traditional approach to weight loss is to count calories and try to reduce the number consumed each day. This is a time-consuming and error-prone process – often with disappointing results. Intermittent fasting – and the popular version known as time-restricted eating – could be a simpler option for people wanting to achieve a healthy weight.
But is intermittent fasting any better than calorie counting for losing weight? A new study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, aimed to provide the answer. It showed that the two methods could be equally effective – if undertaken with professional counselling.
In this year-long study, researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago recruited 90 adults with obesity, aged 18 to 65. The participants were randomly allocated to one of three groups:
