Alternate-Day Fasting Has No Advantage Over A Calorie-Restricted Diet

Dieters who switch to one of the popular alternate-day fasting schemes from a simple daily calorie restriction routine may be kidding themselves, a U.S. study finds. Researchers organized 100 participants into three groups for a year: one that tried alternate-day fasting (25 percent of calorie needs on fast days); daily calorie restriction (75 percent of recommended calories every day); or no diet at all. The trial showed that, compared to a simple calorie-restricted diet, alternate-day fasting did not keep people on the diet, did not result in better weight loss or weight maintenance, and did not improve risk indicators for heart disease.   [Image Credit: © Atkins ]