People who lose weight and then gain it back may find intermittent fasting easier to maintain than traditional calorie counting, according to new research from the University of Adelaide.
The study looked not only at how much weight people lost, but also how different dieting approaches affected their eating habits, mood, sleep, and overall quality of life.
Researchers found that intermittent fasting and continuous calorie restriction resulted in similar weight loss. However, participants who followed the fasting plan did not feel that they needed to constantly monitor their diet, avoid overeating, or count calories to achieve such results.
Different mental approaches to weight loss
The experience was different than for people on calorie-restricted diets. These participants reported that losing weight required a continuous effort to consciously limit the amount of food they eat and resist overeating. Researchers estimate that this increased sense of control accounted for about 15% of the weight loss.
Professor Leonie Heilbron, from the University of Adelaide School of Medicine and the South Australian Institute of Health and Medical Research, said: “Many diets can help you lose weight, but they can be difficult to stick to, making it more difficult to maintain weight in the long term.”
“Our findings show that intermittent fasting may be an alternative for people who have difficulty with traditional diets.”
How did the study compare three diet plans?
200人以上の肥満の成人が18カ月間の臨床試験に参加した。 Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: intermittent fasting, continuous calorie restriction, or standard treatment.
People in the intermittent fasting group expended 30% of their daily energy needs between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. on three non-consecutive days a week. After that eating window, they completed a 20-hour fast. On other days, they ate a normal meal.
Participants assigned continuous caloric restriction consumed approximately 70% of their normal caloric intake each day.標準治療グループは通常の食事を続けましたが、健康的な食事のガイドラインを受けました。
suggest that intermittent fasting and calorie restriction may promote weight loss through a variety of psychological and behavioral mechanisms.
“Psychological and behavioral influences have a huge impact on people’s ability to adhere to a diet. Intermittent fasting may help achieve weight loss in a way that does not rely on consciously restricting intake,” Professor Heilbron said.
Although intermittent fasting is rapidly gaining popularity, researchers say much is still unknown about its long-term psychological and behavioral effects compared to more traditional dieting strategies.
Professor Heilbron said: “Future trials should be designed to identify individuals who are struggling to improve their eating behavior, as improvements may be seen with intermittent fasting diets, allowing for more individualized weight management.”
