Which is a more effective way to lose weight — reducing total calories or intermittent fasting?

Timing from first to last meal was not associated with weight loss in a six-year study. Eating smaller and smaller meals may be a more effective weight management strategy than restricting meals to narrow time frames, such as intermittent fasting, according to a study ( Journal of the American Heart Association) analyzed the electronic health records of about 550 adults who were tracked for six years.

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore found that the total number of large meals (estimated at more than 1,000 calories) and Chinese meals (estimated at 500-1,000 calories) per day was associated with weight gain over six years, while fewer small meals Meals (estimated to be fewer than 500 calories) were associated with weight loss, according to the release.

While previous research has suggested that intermittent fasting may improve the body's rhythms and regulate metabolism, this study of a large group of people with a wide range of weights found no such link.