Intermittent fasting as a nutritional tool

Abstract

Focus on fostering sustainable changes over time Fasting is defined as the voluntary abstinence from food for a determined period. Although traditionally associated with religious purposes,1 the practice has gained relevance today as a nutritional strategy, primarily for cumulative energy restriction. Fasting is used as an alternative to continuous caloric restriction, especially given the difficulties many individuals face in adhering to diets structured under strict parameters.2 Adherence to a 30% caloric restriction is maintained during the first three months of the intervention; however, adherence progressively declines, reaching only a 9.5% restriction after 12 months, which compromises the sustainability of the clinical effects.3 In this context, intermittent fasting has emerged as a popular dietary intervention, in which popularity is spread mainly through social media, where its potential benefits for weight loss are emphasised. However, questions remain about its long term efficacy, feasibility in terms of adherence, and effects on cardiometabolic variables. A scarcity of rigorous comparative syntheses …