Fasting, eating faster, or eating less – what works for weight loss?

Is one method for weight loss more likely to be successful than another? Hayley O'Neill and Loai Albarkhuni investigate.

Worldwide, 1 in 8 people Living with obesity. This is a problem. gain excess fat Risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.

change your diet Important for managing obesity and preventing weight gain. This may include reducing your calorie intake or changing your intake. meal pattern And prioritize healthy eating.

But is one method for weight loss more likely to be successful than another? Our new research We compared three weight loss methods to see if one method achieved more weight loss than the other.

We analyzed data from 29 clinical trials involving approximately 2,500 participants.

We found that the three methods resulted in similar weight loss (1.4 to 1.8 kg) over 12 weeks.

Therefore, if you want to lose weight, choose the method that best suits you and your lifestyle.

eat meals early in the day

When our metabolism not working properlyour bodies cannot respond properly to the hormone insulin. This can cause weight gain and fatigue, and increase the risk of many chronic diseases such as diabetes.

Eating later in the day – heavy dinner and late-night snacking – which seems to lead to Decline in metabolic function. This means your body is less efficient at converting food into energy, managing blood sugar levels, and regulating fat storage.

On the other hand, if you burn calories, Previously visible on the same day improve Metabolic function.

However, this does not apply to everyone. Some people are born with a night owl chronotype. That means waking up and staying up late.

People with this chronotype seem to have the following symptoms: Weight loss success rate is lowthe method doesn't matter. This is due to a combination of factors, including genetics, an increased likelihood of an overall poor diet, and increased levels of hunger hormones.

eat less

skip breakfast is common, but does it hinder weight loss? Or Eat more breakfast and less dinner Ideal?

meanwhile frequent meals Although it may reduce the risk of disease, a recent study found that eating six meals a day may increase the risk of disease compared to one or two meals a day. It is suggested. weight loss success.

However, this does not reflect broader research. eat less May lead to greater weight loss. our research It has been suggested that 3 meals a day is better than 6 meals a day. The easiest way to do this is to reduce snacking and stick to breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Most studies compare 3 meals to 6 meals; 2 meals is better than 3 meals.

but, front-load calories (taking in most of your calories between breakfast and lunch) appears to be effective for weight loss, and may even be effective reduce feelings of hunger all day long. However, further studies over longer periods of time are needed.

Fasting or time-restricted eating

Many of us eat over a period of time or more. 14 hours a day.

eat late at night can be taken off It alters the body's natural rhythms and changes the function of its organs. Over time, it can increase your risk of developing diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Among shift workers.

time-restricted mealsIt's a type of intermittent fasting, which means you eat all your calories in a given period of time. 6 to 10 hour window During the day when you are most active. It doesn't change what or how much you eat, but when you eat it.

animal research It suggests that time-restricted eating may lead to weight loss and improved metabolism. However, evidence in humans is still limited, especially regarding long-term benefits.

It's also unclear whether the benefits of time-restricted eating are due to the timing itself, or whether people are eating less food overall. When we looked at studies where participants adhered to a daily eight-hour eating window while eating freely (without intentional calorie restriction), they naturally ate about 200 fewer calories per day. .

What would be helpful for you?

Traditionally, clinicians have thought of weight loss and avoidance of weight gain as a straightforward equation of calories in and calories out. But factors like how your calories are distributed throughout the day, how often you eat, and whether you eat late at night can also affect your metabolism, weight, and health.

There is no easy way to lose weight. Therefore, choose the method, or combination of methods, that suits you best. You may want to consider

of Average adult weight increases by 0.4 to 0.7 kg per year. Improving the quality of your diet is important to prevent this weight gain, and the strategies listed above may also help.

Finally, there is still much we don't know about these dietary patterns. Many of the existing studies are short-term, have small sample sizes, and vary in methodology, making direct comparisons difficult.

Further studies are underway, including well-controlled trials with larger samples, more diverse populations, and consistent methods. Therefore, we hope that future research will help us better understand how changing dietary patterns can lead to improved health outcomes.

– Hayley O'Neill and Loai Albarqouni are assistant professors at Bond University.

This article is republished from conversation Under Creative Commons License.