High quality evidence suggest intermittent fasting can actually help you lose weight

A mega-analysis of previous research, which brings together and re-analyses the results of previous meta-analyses, has found that intermittent fasting, especially modified alternate-day fasting, is a useful way for overweight or obese adults to lose weight. The research pulled together 11 previous meta-analyses, which themselves looked at a total of 130 different trials, and found there was high-quality evidence that modified alternate-day fasting, for one to two months, was linked to a reduction in body mass index in adults compared with a regular diet. There was also moderate evidence of other benefits including the use of zero-calorie alternate-day fasting for the reduction of fat mass and the 5:2 diet for the reduction of fasting insulin in adults with overweight or obesity compared with a regular diet.