Intermittent fasting (IF) is an umbrella term for various diets that cycle between a period of fasting and non-fasting. Intermittent fasting can be used along with calorie restriction for weight loss.
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Variations
Most popular intermittent fasting protocols can be grouped into 3 categories: alternate day fasting (ADF), whole-day fasting, and time-restricted feeding (TRF).
Alternate day fasting (ADF) involves a 24-hour fast followed by a 24-hour non-fasting period. One can choose fasting 23 hours with one meal per day.
Whole-day fasting specifies various ratios of fasting to non-fasting days, such as the 5:2 diet in which people consumed 400-500 calories (women) or 500-600 calories (men) during the days of fasting. During feed days, the diet was regular.
Time-restricted feeding (TRF) involves a set daily fasting period and shortened eating window of 3-12 hours. For example, one form of TRF calls for fasting for 16 hours each day and eating total daily calories during the remaining 8 hours, typically on the same schedule each day.
In some contexts, fasting allows the consumption of a limited amount of low-calorie beverages such as coffee or tea. This modified fasting involves limiting caloric intake (e.g., 20% of normal) during fasted periods rather than none at all, possibly retaining most of the benefits of intermittent fasting.
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Research
A 2014 review described that intermittent fasting has not been studied in children, the elderly, or the underweight, and could be harmful in these populations. It also suggested that people choosing to fast for periods of time greater than 24 hours should be monitored by a physician, as changes to the gastrointestinal system or circadian rhythm can occur. The review concluded that fasting is unlikely to have much effect on conditions other than obesity, such as aging or other chronic condition, unless combined with moderate calorie restriction and a plant-based diet such as the Mediterranean diet.
According to another 2014 review, intermittent fasting can lead to weight loss, though long-term calorie restriction can lead to slightly more weight loss compared to intermittent fasting.
According to NHS Choices as of 2012, people considering intermittent fasting should first consult a physician, as fasting can sometimes be unsafe.
In the UK, the tabloid press has reported on research claiming the 5:2 diet could reduce the risk of breast cancer; however according to the NHS the evidence being considered formed an inadequate basis for making such statements.
Reception
The 5:2 diet became popular in the UK after the BBC2 television Horizon documentary Eat, Fast and Live Longer written and presented by Michael Mosley was broadcast on 6 August 2012 and many books on the diet quickly became bestsellers, soon after. It then spread to the rest of Europe and to the US.
Dieticians and the UK National Health Service have categorized it as a fad diet.
A news item in the Canadian Medical Association Journal expressed concern that promotional material for the diet showed people eating high-calorie food such as hamburgers and chips, and that this could encourage binge eating since the implication was that "if you fast two days a week, you can devour as much junk as your gullet can swallow during the remaining five days".
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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