From a literature review[0]:
>Twelve studies used calorie-restricted diets as a comparator to IF and found equivalent weight loss in both groups.11,15-17,19,22,27,28,33,41-43 Study duration was 8 weeks to 1 year, with a combined total of 1206 participants (527 undergoing IF, 572 using calorie restriction, and 107 control participants) and demonstrated weight loss of 4.6% to 13.0%.11,15-17,19,22,27,28,33,41-43
"there's no magic to IF"? Well, literally speaking, I tend to agree. For example, I've never actually made out any mustachioed magical monkeys monkey-patching methods in Ruby on Rails.
Seriously though, I think I disagree with the intent behind your sentence, which I interpret as downplaying the difference between IF (intermittent fasting) and CR (calorie restriction). Based on reading the Obesity Code, my understanding is that IF leads to substantially different biological responses relative to CR.
This diagram below, or something similar to it, is a nice way of understanding the core principles in The Obesity Code by Fung which promotes IF. Sustained durations of fasting help lower insulin levels for long enough periods that insulin resistance itself can lower. (CR doesn't do this, to my knowledge.)
ASCII Diagram version of
https://thefastingmethod.com/wp-content/uploads/HOT-Fatty-Liver2.1.jpg
┌────────┐
┌───────────┐ │ high │ ┌───────────┐
│ glucose │────┬────▶│insulin │────┬────▶│ obesity │
└───────────┘ │ └────────┘ │ └───────────┘
│ │
│ ▼
┌────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐
│ insulin │ │ fatty │
│ resistance │◀─────│ liver │
└────────────┘ └─────────────┘
▲
│
│
┌────────────┐
│ fructose │
└────────────┘> 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.
I've wondered if IF makes a difference in that way. If there's a pain au chocolat for me, and I eat it at breakfast is that different to me eating all the same food in the day but eating that pain au choc after lunch?
Great question. My guess would that it would be correlated, at least. If you check this out, please share back what you find.
This phrasing is too easily misinterpreted.
Saying "works" leaves ambiguity between outcomes (i.e. weight loss results) and processes (i.e. metabolic mechanisms and changes). If you said "IF showed similar results as CR in treating obesity" that is consistent with the paper.
Second, saying "exactly like" in the context of statistics is an effective way to invite criticism (and not the constructive kind).
From the key points on the front page:
> The heterogeneity in the current evidence limits
> comparison of IF to other weight-loss strategies.
> Intermittent fasting shows promise as a primary care
> intervention for obesity, but little is known about
> long-term sustainability and health effects.
> Longer-duration studies are needed to understand
> how IF might contribute to effective weight-loss
> strategies.