Intermittent Fasting Doesn’t Budge the Scale, Major Review Finds

Gizmodo • February 17, 2026 • health

Key Points:

A new analysis of 22 randomized controlled trials involving nearly 2,000 overweight or obese participants found that intermittent fasting does not lead to significantly greater weight loss compared to typical dietary advice or no intervention.
The study, published in the Cochrane Library, concluded that intermittent fasting results in little to no difference in weight loss or quality of life relative to regular dieting.
Intermittent fasting also did not show a higher risk of adverse events compared to dieting, but the evidence quality for safety outcomes was low.
While some individuals may find intermittent fasting helpful for maintaining a structured eating schedule, overall it does not offer a substantial advantage for weight loss in the general population.
The findings reinforce the complexity of obesity treatment and