Intermittent fasting is not consistently better than continuous calorie restriction with exercise: review
A review of 52 reports covering 49 adult cohorts found intermittent fasting with exercise was not consistently better than continuous calorie restriction when calorie deficit, protein and training were similar. Exercise was more consistently linked to fitness and preserving lean mass than to extra weight loss.
The review was accepted on Nov. 9 and covered 52 reports representing 49 independent adult cohorts. It included studies that paired recurring intermittent fasting schedules with documented exercise and tracked weight or body composition.1
The authors said combined programs often lowered weight and body fat compared with minimal intervention. But intermittent fasting was not consistently better than continuous calorie restriction when energy deficit, protein and training were broadly similar.1
Exercise was more consistently linked to fitness and lean-mass preservation than to further scale-weight loss. The review described fasting as one way to schedule eating, not a uniquely superior approach.1
