Effect of 5 + 2 Intermittent Fasting Mode on Body Weight of Chinese Overweight/Obese Adults Under Meal Replacement Mode: A Randomized Controlled Study

Abstract

Abstract Objectives 5 + 2 intermittent fasting is a safe and effective method for weight loss (eat normally for 5 days, and give 1/4 of the required calorie for the other 2 consecutive days in 1 week). However, because of the obvious hunger and poor energy control, it is difficult to implement the plan. This study hypothesis that based on the 5 + 2 intermittent fasting mode, replacing the ordinary diet with an equivalent energy meal replacement product can reduce the sense of hunger and improve the implementation capability by adjusting nutrition composition and ratio. Methods This study was a parallel randomized control design. A total of 100 participants were included, and they were randomly divided into meal replacement (MR) group and ordinary diet (OD) group according to the random number table method for a total of 12-week observation. At baseline, height, body weight (BW), grip strength (GS), blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), laboratory-related indicators, and body composition (BC) were measured. Follow-up was performed at week 4, 8, and 12, and BW, GS, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), BP, HR, BC, hunger, satiety, and dietary satisfaction scores were measured. Laboratory indicators were retested at week 12. Physical exercise was not forced during observation. Results After 12 weeks, the MR group lost 5.1 ± 3.31 kg, and the average weight loss rate was 6.6%. It was significant difference to the baseline (P < 0.0001). The OD group lost 4.89 ± 4.5 kg, and the average weight loss rate was 6.1% (P < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in weight loss between two groups (P = 0.114). The reduction in BMI between two groups was increased with the observation time, and the difference between two groups gradually increased, but the difference was not significant at week 12 (P = 0.668). Compared to the baseline, differences in visceral fat area and body fat ratio between my two groups were significant (P < 0.0001). There were no significant differences in HR, BP, GS, WC, HC, blood lipid and blood glucose, hunger, satiety, and dietary satisfaction scores between the two groups at each follow-up. Conclusions The effect of 5 + 2 intermittent fasting mode on weight loss was significant without physical exercise. Safety and efficacy of weight loss in MR group were equivalent to OD group, but meal replacement was more convenient for those who could not prepare their own meals. Funding Sources None.