Associations between intermittent fasting and anthropometric data in healthy subjects

Abstract

Recently, increasing attention has been directed towards novel treatment methods aimed at addressing the pathophysiological consequences of obesity and metabolic syndrome. One such approach is intermittent fasting (IF), a dietary method characterized by alternating periods of eating and fasting within a given day. This study employed two intermittent fasting patterns: 16/8 and 12/12. The 16/8 pattern involved fasting for 16 hours and consuming all meals within the remaining 8 hours, while the 12/12 pattern entailed 12 hours of fasting and 12 hours of eating, with both approaches adhering to healthy dietary recommendations. The study included 10 participants (9 women and 1 man) with a mean age of 20.10 ± 1.45 years and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 29.76 ± 5.04 kg/m². Anthropometric measurements, including BMI, weight, muscle mass, fat mass, and visceral fat mass, were collected at three time points: baseline, mid-point, and endpoint. These measurements were performed using a body composition analyzer Tanita DC-360 S. After five months, the results indicated an overall average decrease in BMI of 0.54 kg/m². In the 16/8 IF group, BMI decreased by an average of 0.82 kg/m², while in the 12/12 IF group, the reduction averaged 0.3 kg/m². Regarding weight loss, participants in the 16/8 IF group experienced an average decrease of 2.5 kg, whereas those in the 12/12 IF group lost an average of 1 kg. Changes in body fat mass were observed in all participants. The 16/8 IF group demonstrated an average reduction in body fat mass of 1.7 kg, while the 12/12 IF group showed an average reduction of approximately 1 kg. At the beginning of the study, the mean fat mass of participants was 30.41 ± 9.42 kg, which decreased to 29.15 ± 9.44 kg by the study's endpoint. Muscle mass changes varied between the groups: participants in the 16/8 IF group experienced an average decrease of 0.8 kg, whereas those in the 12/12 IF group showed a slight increase of 0.02 kg.