Effects of intermittent compared to continuous energy restriction on short‐term weight loss and long‐term weight loss maintenance

Abstract

Effective strategies are needed to help individuals lose weight and maintain weight loss. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the effect of intermittent energy restriction (IER) compared to continuous energy restriction (CER) on weight loss after 8 weeks and weight loss maintenance after 12 months. Secondary aims were to determine changes in waist and hip measurements and diet quality. In a randomized parallel study, overweight and obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 27 kg m(-2)) women were stratified by age and BMI before randomization. Participants undertook an 8-week intensive period with weight, waist and hip circumference measured every 2 weeks, followed by 44 weeks of independent dieting. A food frequency questionnaire was completed at baseline and 12 months, from which diet quality was determined. Weight loss was not significantly different between the two groups at 8 weeks (-3.2 ± 2.1 kg CER, n = 20, -2.0 ± 1.9 kg IER, n = 25; P = 0.06) or at 12 months (-4.2 ± 5.6 kg CER, n = 17 -2.1 ± 3.8 kg IER, n = 19; P = 0.19). Weight loss between 8 and 52 weeks was -0.7 ± 49 kg CER vs. -1 ± 1.1 kg IER; P = 0.6. Waist and hip circumference decreased significantly with time (P < 0.01), with no difference between groups. There was an increase in the Healthy Eating Index at 12 months in the CER compared with the IER group (CER 8.4 ± 9.1 vs. IER -0.3 ± 8.4, P = 0.006). This study indicates that intermittent dieting was as effective as continuous dieting over 8 weeks and for weight loss maintenance at 12 months. This may be useful for individuals who find CER too difficult to maintain.

International society of sports nutrition position stand: diets and body composition

“…Recently, Catenacci et al [97] reported that ADF with zero caloric intake on the fasting days alternated with ad libitum feeding days showed similar results to daily caloric restriction on body composition, and slightly outperformed daily caloric restriction after 6-months of unsupervised weight loss maintenance. On the note of alternating fasting and feeding periods of the same length, alternate-week energy restriction (1 week on ~1300 kcal/day, one week on the usual diet) has only a single study to date, but is worth mentioning since it was as effective as continuous energy restriction for reducing body weight and waist girth at 8 weeks and 1 year [101]. …”

Intermittent energy restriction in type 2 diabetes: A short discussion of medication management

“…However, weight loss for this population group is often difficult[3], with poor adherence to weight loss programs, suggesting people find continuous energy restriction (CER) difficult to maintain. Recently attention has been given to a new method of weight loss, known as intermittent energy restriction (IER), which in the overweight and obese populations, without diabetes, has shown to be comparable to CER in achieving weight loss[4,5]. IER uses short periods (usually 2 d) of severe energy restriction, 400-800 kcal/d, followed by longer periods of habitual diet.…”

Potential Benefits and Harms of Intermittent Energy Restriction and Intermittent Fasting Amongst Obese, Overweight and Normal Weight Subjects—A Narrative Review of Human and Animal Evidence

“…We identified 13 randomised comparisons of IER and CER [12,13,14,18,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34]. Seven of the studies were excluded because energy intake was not equivalent between the IER and CER groups [18,28,29,30,31,32,34].…”

“…Seven of the studies were excluded because energy intake was not equivalent between the IER and CER groups [18,28,29,30,31,32,34]. ADER is the most studied IER amongst humans [25], however most of these studies summarised in recent reviews [24,25] have either a no treatment comparison group or no comparison group and so were not included.…”