The ongoing debate about meal timing roars. Some argue that intermittent fasting, when one consumes most or all of one’s daily calories in a tight time window, is superior to continuous feeding, when one eats throughout the day without any timing restrictions. Well, the latest research might help quell the quandary that quarterbacks this quarrel.
On July 24, 2024, Dr. Layne Norton dissected a randomized control trial published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study aimed to “determine the effect of time-restricted eating (TRE, i.e., intermittent fasting) versus a usual eating pattern (UEP, i.e., continuous eating) on body weight in the setting of stable caloric intake.” (1)
Discover which option is better for weight loss below:
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Calories Matter Most
The controlled feeding study’s most important aspect was that both the intermittent fasting group and continuous feeding group consumed the same total calories, macronutrients, and micronutrients. The lone difference was the timing of their consumption. Every participant’s meals were provided for them.
The intermittent fasting group was allotted a 10-hour window within to eat their calories, however, it couldn’t be any later than 1 p.m. That meant that from 1 p.m. until 8 a.m. the following day, these participants did not consume any calories. The continuous feeding group ate most of their calories later in the day, after 5 p.m. but without the same timing restrictions.
The findings were a win for the calories in versus calories out stalwarts. There was no difference in weight loss between the two groups. While not significant, there was a slight difference in overall activity; the intermittent fasting group was less active than the continuous feeding group. The difference resulted in .3 kilograms more weight loss in favor of continuous feeding.
Is Intermittent Fasting Better?
The answer isn’t directly yes or no. The real answer is intermittent fasting is an effective weight loss choice if your lifestyle enables you to adhere to intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting’s benefits are a decrease in overall calories supporting a calorie deficit, which is necessary for weight loss.
Alternatively, if the calories are equivalent (i.e., maintains a calorie deficit), then it should be just as effective for weight loss if you eat your calories any time throughout the day without any timing restrictions.
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Reference
- Maruthur, N. M., Pilla, S. J., White, K., Wu, B., Maw, M. T. T., Duan, D., Turkson-Ocran, R. A., Zhao, D., Charleston, J., Peterson, C. M., Dougherty, R. J., Schrack, J. A., Appel, L. J., Guallar, E., & Clark, J. M. (2024). Effect of Isocaloric, Time-Restricted Eating on Body Weight in Adults With Obesity : A Randomized Controlled Trial. Annals of internal medicine, 177(5), 549–558. https://doi.org/10.7326/M23-3132
Featured image via Shutterstock/EchelonIMG
