Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Weight Loss in Asian Indian Adults with Obesity

Worldwide, obesity has nearly tripled since 1975 and has become a major healthcare challenge today. Intermittent fasting (IF) is gaining popularity as a weight loss strategy in recent times. This study aimed to study the role of IF as a modern-day weight-loss strategy in obese adults through a real-world pilot experiment conducted at a nutrition clinic in Mumbai.

To understand the effects of IF on weight loss, 32 overweight/obese [body mass index (BMI) ≥23 kg/m2] adults from a nutrition clinic in Mumbai, were assigned consecutively to an IF plan and followed up for 3 months. Their demographic, anthropometric, and dietary assessments were done pre- and post-intervention. Qualitative interviews were done at the end of the study to record the participants' overall well-being, experience, and sustainability of IF.

56% of study participants were males and their mean age was 35.6 ± 8.9 years. 65.6% of participants were able to maintain 14-16 hours of fasting and 53% managed all 7 days of IF. Analysis of post-intervention data showed a significant reduction in mean body weight (88.5 ± 19 to 83.8 ± 17.6 kg), waist circumference (M: 108.2 ± 11.3 to 103.6 ± 4.4 cm, F: 98.9 ± 8.8 to 93.3 ± 3.3 cm), BMI (31.4 ± 5.3 to 29.6 ± 5.1 kg/m2), daily calories (1782 ± 237 to 1388 ± 243 kcal/day), carbohydrate intake (267 ± 18.4 to 164 ± 4.0 g/day), and an increase in protein intake (39 ± 11 to 55 ± 11 g/day). Participants reported positive experiences of practicing IF such as improved fitness, sleep cycle, and adoption of healthy eating habits.

The study demonstrates that IF could aid in weight loss and adoption of a healthier lifestyle.