Comparative Effects of 16:8 Intermittent Fasting and Continuous Caloric Restriction on Metabolic Syndrome Components...

Intermittent fasting (IF) is gaining interest as an effective method to combat obesity Objective : to compare the effects of 16:8 intermittent fasting (IF 16:8) and continuous caloric restriction (CCR) on anthropometric parameters and components of metabolic syndrome in obese women.

A non-randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted with obese women followed for three months. The patients were divided into two groups: IF (45 patients) and CCR (55 patients), each undergoing a 25% reduction in caloric intake. Anthropometric parameters, body composition and metabolic profile were evaluated.

The average age was 34.10 ± 8.44 years in the IF group and 34.62 ± 8.80 years in the CCR group, with BMI values of 38.63 ± 5.15 kg/m² and 34.84 ± 6.69 kg/m², respectively. Both groups experienced significant weight loss after three months, with the IF group showing greater weight change (-7.38 ± 4.1 kg vs. -5.41 ± 3.84 kg, p=0.03). Fat mass and waist circumference reductions were more pronounced in the IF group (p=0.04 and p=0.0001, respectively). Furthermore, IF was more effective than CCR in reducing blood glucose (p=0.04) and triglyceride levels (p=0.02) and increasing HDL-cholesterol (p=0.01). The early feeding window (8h to 16h) in the IF group was associated with greater reductions in weight, fat mass, waist circumference and HOMA insulin resistance index (p=0.001 for all) compared to the 12h to 20h window.

The study suggests that 16:8 intermittent fasting could be a viable alternative to continuous caloric restriction for managing obesity and associated metabolic disorders.