Overweight women who ate a lower-calorie diet (70% of their required energy) and fasted 3 days a week lost more weight and had better cardiometabolic markers than women who only reduced their calorie intake, or only fasted, or did neither in a small, 8-week randomized trial by Amy T. Hutchison, post-doctoral researcher, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Australia.

These new findings from the Effects of Periodic Fasting Versus Daily Energy Restriction on Metabolic Health (PREFER) trial were published in the January issue of Obesity.

This study is adding to evidence that intermittent fasting, at least in the short term, may provide better outcomes than daily continuous diet restriction for health and potentially for weight loss.

• A continuous reduced calorie diet is the cornerstone lifestyle intervention to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in overweight people
• Intermittent fasting might be a better strategy, because people find it difficult to stick to a low-calorie eating plan. 
• A combination may be still better

This is also the principle mentioned in Ayurveda.

Weekly fast with added one additional fast on Ekadashi and four nine-day fasts on Navratri in a year along with eating less (what comes in your outstretched hands) with a mix of all seven colors and six tastes.

 Dr KK Aggarwal

Padma Shri Awardee

President Elect Confederation of Medical Associations in Asia and Oceania   (CMAAO)

Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications

President Heart Care Foundation of India

Past National President IMA