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Research ArticleResearch

Intermittent fasting and weight loss

Systematic review

Stephanie Welton, Robert Minty, Teresa O’Driscoll, Hannah Willms, Denise Poirier, Sharen Madden and Len Kelly
Canadian Family Physician February 2020, 66 (2) 117-125;
Stephanie Welton
Researcher for the Anishinaabe Bimaadiziwin Research Program in Sioux Lookout, Ont.
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Robert Minty
Family physician practising at the Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre and Assistant Professor in the Division of Clinical Sciences at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.
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Teresa O’Driscoll
Assistant Professor in the Division of Clinical Sciences at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine in Sioux Lookout.
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Hannah Willms
Research assistant in the Anishinaabe Bimaadiziwin Research Program.
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Denise Poirier
Primary care nurse at the Hugh Allan Clinic in Sioux Lookout.
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Sharen Madden
Associate Professor in the Division of Clinical Sciences at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine in Sioux Lookout.
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Len Kelly
Research consultant for the Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre.
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  • For correspondence: lkelly@mcmaster.ca
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Abstract

Objective To examine the evidence for intermittent fasting (IF), an alternative to calorie-restricted diets, in treating obesity, an important health concern in Canada with few effective office-based treatment strategies.

Data Sources A MEDLINE and EMBASE search from January 1, 2000, to July 1, 2019, yielded 1200 results using the key words fasting, time restricted feeding, meal skipping, alternate day fasting, intermittent fasting, and reduced meal frequency.

Study selection Forty-one articles describing 27 trials addressed weight loss in overweight and obese patients: 18 small randomized controlled trials (level I evidence) and 9 trials comparing weight after IF to baseline weight with no control group (level II evidence). Studies were often of short duration (2 to 26 weeks) with low enrolment (10 to 244 participants); 2 were of 1-year duration. Protocols varied, with only 5 studies including patients with type 2 diabetes.

Synthesis All 27 IF trials found weight loss of 0.8% to 13.0% of baseline weight with no serious adverse events. Twelve studies comparing IF to calorie restriction found equivalent results. The 5 studies that included patients with type 2 diabetes documented improved glycemic control.

Conclusion Intermittent fasting shows promise for the treatment of obesity. To date, the studies have been small and of short duration. Longer-term research is needed to understand the sustainable role IF can play in weight loss.

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Canadian Family Physician: 66 (2)
Canadian Family Physician
Vol. 66, Issue 2
1 Feb 2020
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Intermittent fasting and weight loss
Stephanie Welton, Robert Minty, Teresa O’Driscoll, Hannah Willms, Denise Poirier, Sharen Madden, Len Kelly
Canadian Family Physician Feb 2020, 66 (2) 117-125;

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Intermittent fasting and weight loss
Stephanie Welton, Robert Minty, Teresa O’Driscoll, Hannah Willms, Denise Poirier, Sharen Madden, Len Kelly
Canadian Family Physician Feb 2020, 66 (2) 117-125;
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