If you believe in intermittent fasting, you’ll be interested in this study

When the technique of fasting or intermittent fasting gained traction as an eating approach, a familiar refrain was that more research was needed. That is said about most every new technique but that doesn’t make the need untrue.

So here it is. A one-year randomized controlled clinical trial comparing intermittent fasting with a standardized multicomponent weight loss program. This research out of the United Kingdom was published last month in PLOS ONE.

The study of 300 overweight/obese people had participants in three groups of 100 each. One group received standard weight loss counseling, one group got instruction on a 5:2 fasting diet and the third group received 5:2 instruction with additional behavioral support. A 5:2 approach has someone eating their usual food intake 5 days a week and for two non-consecutive days, they eat 500 calories for women and 600 for men.

First the good news. The 5:2 diet did not negatively impact overall nutritional intake or physical activity. Weight loss at the end of one year was not significantly different for the three groups. The goal was a weight loss of at least 5% of starting body weight.

The standard treatment group had 15% of participants reaching that goal, the 5:2 had 18% and the 5:2 with group support had 28%. In all three groups, adherence to the food plans dropped over time. The 5:2 diet received the highest approval rating from participants. The researchers suggested that perhaps the calorie allotment for the fasting days was too low as some participants complained about hunger.

These are my takeaways. No matter what you see in the ads, there are no weight-loss miracles.

No matter your weight or weight loss plan nutritious plant-based foods should be abundant. Find a style of eating that is sustainable. Feeling deprived is not a goal or a feeling that leads to better health. The authors conclude that the 5:2 is not superior to a traditional approach but is simpler and more attractive to users.

Sheah Rarback MS, RDN is a registered dietitian nutritionist in private practice in Miami.

This story was originally published December 18, 2021 at 7:00 AM.