The Role of Intermittent Fasting in Improving Overall Metabolic Health and Reducing Obesity-Related Complications

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of obesity has been hit to the levels of pandemic meaning that it is a dire health issue affecting the whole world at large and posing a great risk of developing a variety of health related complications such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. As it is predicted that more than 1.53 billion adults are going to be obese by the year 2035, there is a desperate need to have effective dietary interventions. Intermittent fasting (IF) is one of the new promising models of weight management and metabolic improvement that should be used instead of continuous energy restriction.

Materials and Methods: This meta-analysis included evidence of new systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials on the effects of different IF regimes (such as alternate-day fasting, time-restricted eating, and periodic fasting) on body composition, metabolic parameters, and metabolic complication of obesity. The search of the literature was performed in large scientific databases, with emphasis on human literature published until 2025.

Conclusion: It has been shown that IF has clinically significant effects of reducing body weight, improving lipid profiles, increasing insulin sensitivity, and decreasing blood pressure. IF diets prove especially effective in metabolic syndrome patients and can be more beneficial than persistent calorie restriction regarding compliance and metabolic improvements. Nevertheless, the long-term effectiveness and safety should be the subject of research in standardized, long-term study. Patient-specific guidelines based on preferences, metabolic objectives, and possible risks are necessary to improve outcomes .