Intermittent fasting: Cochrane review challenges diet hype

Credit: iStockphoto/Ahmet Yarali

By Olivia Bowthorpe

Intermittent fasting is unlikely to lead to greater weight loss than traditional dietary advice, a new Cochrane review suggests, challenging the widespread hype surrounding the popular diet trend.

The existing evidence base is of poor quality, making it difficult to draw definitive conclusions about the effectiveness of IF, say researchers.