A meta‐analysis comparing the effectiveness of alternate day fasting, the 5:2 diet, and time‐restricted eating for weight loss

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this meta‐analysis was to compare the effectiveness of different intermittent fasting (IF) regimens on weight loss, in the general population, and compare these to traditional caloric energy restriction (CER). METHODS: Three databases were searched from 2011 to June 2021 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed weight loss and IF, including alternate day fasting (ADF), the 5:2 diet, and time‐restricted eating (TRE). A random effect network analysis was used to compare the effectiveness between the three regimens. Meta‐regression analysis was presented as weighted mean differences of body weight loss. RESULTS: The exploratory random effects network analysis of 24 RCTs (n = 1768) ranked ADF as the most effective, followed by CER and TRE. The meta‐analysis showed that IF regimens resulted in similar weight loss to CER (mean difference 0.26 kg, 95% CI: –0.31 to 0.84; p = 0.37). Compliance was generally high (>80%) in trials shorter than 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: The present meta‐analysis concludes that IF is comparable to CER and a promising alternative for weight loss. Among the three regimens, ADF showed the highest effectiveness for weight loss, followed by CER and TRE. Further well‐powered RCTs with longer durations of intervention are required to draw solid conclusions.