Modified Intermittent Eating on Weight Loss (INTEREST-3 Trial)

Calorie restriction (CR) is the most important treatment for weighting loss. In recent years, two novel types of intermittent fasting recently have gained more attention: the 5:2 diet and time-restricted eating (TRE). TRE requires individuals to eat in a specified number of hours per day (typically 4 to 10 hours) without energy intake restriction. The 5:2 diet involves 5 feast days and 2 fast days per week; participants eat ad libitum without restriction on feast days while 25% of energy needs (approximately 500-800 kcal per day) are consumed on fast days. However, the effects of dietary strategy of intermittent fasting plus time-restricted eating (modified time-restricted eating: TRE 5 days and fasting 2days per week) on weight loss and cardiometabolic risk factors in obese adults have not been proved. This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effect of modified time-restricted eating (mTRE) and CR on weight loss and cardiometabolic risk factors in obese adults compared to usual health care over 12 months.