Intermittent or interval fasting or abstaining from a meal over a period of time is a new trend in nutrition. It should help to melt excess deposits, for example on the hips. In addition, this method of fasting is healthy and more effective than other diets. These are common opinions about the benefits of the interval fasting, that a team of scientists gathered around Ruth Schübel of the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg has researched.

What is intermittent fasting?

The goal is for the body to become accustomed to living off its reserves through regular abstinence from meals. Sugar and fat metabolism in those who practice this method, or else this diet, should be improved, and even reduced the risk of cancer or diabetes by long-term exercise. In addition, this method is a favorite because of weight loss. Unlike other types of diets, such as the basic or healing diets, interval fasting is a long-term nutritional method.

How does it work?

There are different methods for interval fasting. One of them is the form - 8:16. Eight hours a day can be eaten, but the other 16 - fasting! The second form is 5: 2. Specifically, you feed normally five days a week, and then drastically reduce your calorie intake to about 500 per day for two days. The so-called dinner-cancelling prescribes that two to three days should be abstained from dinner. This is a 14 hour break, until breakfast, in which case you don't have to give up your morning meal!

What was the goal of the study?

A team of scientists gathered around Ruth Schübel has divided 150 obese people into three groups. One group fed on a 5: 2 principle, the other group reduced their calories the conventional way, and the control group fed as usual.

"The aim of the study was to compare different diets, such as a 5: 2 interval fasting, with a conventional diet. And then see what changes occur in metabolism and weight," Schübel explains.

The results are clear

But is interval fasting really the most effective of what the modern diet market offers today? The study came to a clear result. Yes, it is effective when it comes to weight loss. But interval fasting is no better than other diets.

"The study found that interval fasting and conventional diets were similar when it came to metabolism and weight loss, but neither method proved superior to the other," summarized Schübel.

Positive health effects

Interval fasting has been shown to have a positive effect on the body. Because, the body starts consuming short-term energy reserves, draws in sugar reserves and begins to systematically break down fat deposits. "We could conclude that fasting has a positive effect on metabolism as well as fat metabolism," says Schiübel. "But we also see these effects in conventional diets."

Certain scientific studies have shown in the past that intermittent fasting reduces the risk of diabetes and cancer in the long term. Schübel couldn't say anything about that. But: "All of our participants were healthy, but we noticed that intermittent fasting had a positive effect on metabolic profiles that present a risk of getting cancer or diabetes."