Table 2.

This table highlights adult human RCTs studies that meet the following criteria: published between 2003 and 2018; IF evaluated as primary variable; IF regimen greater than 1 week. TRF and PF studies were excluded due to the scope of this paper. The studies are ordered by highest N and longest duration. Abbreviations include N (sample size of completers), F (females), M (males), mAge (mean age), bBMI (baseline BMI), IF (intermittent fasting), ADF (alternate-day fasting), mon (months), wk (weeks), d (day), yo (years old), combo (combination), LDL (low density lipoprotein cholesterol), HDL (high density lipoprotein cholesterol), NS (not statistically significant), FFM (fat fee mass), BP (blood pressure), NR (not reported).

	Study Population		Study Design
First author, Yearab	N completers (Female/Male), inclusion criteriac, dropout rate (DR)	Groups and characteristics (N, mAged, bBMIe)	IF Regimen	Duration	Key Results
Harvie, 2013[33]	N = 115 Women only Age 20–69 BMI 24.0–45.0 and/or body fat >30% DR: 11 % in ICR group; 26% in ICR+PF and 33% in DER	ICR (n=37, 45.6±8.3, 29.6±4.1) ICR+PF (n=38, 48.6±7.3, 31.0±5.7) CER (n=40, 47.9±7.7, 32.2±5.6)	25% energy needs4 restricted in all, euenergetic groups ICR without ad lib protein, fat: CR and carb restriction on 2 consecutive d/wk ICR + protein, fat (ICR+PF): same as ICR but with unlimited protein and fat on restricted days CER: daily 25% CR	3 mon weight loss, 1 mon weight maintenance	↓ weight, body fat in ICR > CER groups ↑Si with both ICR Less FFM loss in ICR groups Short term: ICR superior to CER re: Si and ↓ body fat
Harvie, 2011[28]	N = 107 Women only Age 30–45 BMI 24.0–40.0 DR: 21% in ICR group; 13% in CER group	ICR (n=53, 40.1±4.1, 30.7±5.0) CER (n=54, 40.0±3.9, 30.5±5.2)	25% energy restriction4 as ICR (2d/wk) or CER (7d/wk)	6 mon	ICR and CER equally effective for weight loss Comparable ↓leptin, free androgen index, RP, total and LDL cholesterol, TG, BP + ↑sex hormone biding globulin Modest ↓ in Si, fasting insulin – greater in ICR
Bhutani, 2013[25]	N = 83 80F/3M Age 25–65 BMI 30.0–39.9 DR: 9 dropped out of ADF, 8 out of exercise. No dropouts in exercise or control groups.	ADF + exercise (combo, n=18, 45±5, 35±1) ADF (n=25, 42±2yo) Exercise (n=24, 42±2, 35±1) Control (n=16, 49±2, 35±1)	ADF: 25% energy needs2 fast day, ad lib feast day Exercise: moderate intensity exercise 3d/wk	12 wk	↓ weight in combo, ADF, exercise groups ↓ LDL, fat mass, waist circumference; ↑ HDL in combo only
Trepanowski, 2017a [22]	N = 79 66F/13M Age 18–65 BMI 25.0–39.9 DR: 38% in ADF, 29% in CR, 26% in control	ADF (n=25, 46±2, 34±1) CR (n=29, 44±2, 35±1) Control (n=25, 44±2, 34±1)	ADF: 25% energy needs1 on fast days, 125% feast day with dietary counseling for first 12 wk CR: 75% needs1 daily + dietary counseling for first 12 wk only Control: 100% needs daily; no intervention	4 wk baseline run-in period → 24-wk weight loss intervention period → 24-wk maintenance period	↓ weight (−6.8% in ADF and CR at 6 months, 6.0% in ADF and 5.3% in CR at 12 months) ↑HDL in ADF at mon 6, not at mon 12 ↑LDL in ADF at month 12 NS differences between groups in BP, heart rate, TG, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, Si, CRP, or homocysteine
Trepanowski, 2017b [23]	See Trepanowski, 2017a [22]	See Trepanowski, 2017a [22]	See Trepanowski, 2017a [22]	Only the first 28 weeks of Trepanowski, 2017a [22]	↑ FFM:total mass ratio in ADF and CR (NS difference) ↓leptin in ADF and CR (NS difference) No change in circulating adiponectin, resistin, IL- 6, or TNF=α in any group
Teng, 2013[90]	N = 56 Men only Age 50–70 BMI: 23.0–29.9 DR: NR	ICR (n=28, 59.6±5.4, 26.8±1.7) Control (n=28, 59.1±6.2, 26.7±2.3	ICR: 300–500 kcal/d deficit with 2 d/wk Muslim Sunnah fasting. Fasting day included light meal before sunrise, no food and drink during the day (~13 h) and complete meal after sunset Control	3 mon	↓weight, %fat, energy intake, fat intake, BP, LDL, total cholesterol in ICR ↓damage of DNA cells in ICR ↑fat intake in control Maintained or ↑weight, BMI, %fat in control group
Byrne, 2017[19]	N = 51 Men only Age 25–54 BMI 30.0–45.0 DR: NR	ICR (n=26, 39.9±9.2, 34.6±4.2) CER (n=25, 39.3±6.6, 34.4±3.3)	During ER weeks, 67% energy needs3 for weight maintenance	32 wk Interspersed: 8 x 2-week blocks of CR and 7 x 2- week blocks of energy balance	↓ weight, fat mass to greater degree in ICR ↓ REE greater in ICR after adjusting for changes in body composition
Varady, 2011[91]	N = 49 40F/9M Age 35–65 BMI 25.0–39.9 DR: NR	ADF (n=13, 47±2, 32±2) CR (n=12, 47±3, 32±2) Exercise (n=12, 46±3, 33±1) Control (n=12, 46±3, 32±2)	ADF: 75% energy needs2 on fast days, ad lib feast days CR: 75% energy needs2 daily Exercise: moderate intensity 3d/wk Control: usual	12 wk	↓ weight in ADF, CR, exercise groups ↓ LDL in ADF and CR only; ↑ HDL in exercise only
Keogh, 2014[29]	N = 36 Women only Age ≥18 BMI ≥27.0 Healthy or T2D managed by diet alone DR: 40% in first 8 wk, 20% between 8–52 wk	ICR (n=19, 59.5 ± 8.7, 33.1±3.8) CER (n=17, 60.8 ± 12.5, 33.0 ± 7.5)	ICR: 1 week ‘normal’ diet followed by 1 wk CR (5500 kJ) CER: every day CR (5500 kJ)	8 wk weight loss intervention, 12 wk weight loss maintenance	↓ weight, waist and hip circumference (NS difference between groups) ↑ Healthy Eating Index at 12 mon in CER only
Hussin, 2013[92]	N = 31 Males only Age: 50–70 BMI: 23.0–29.9 DR: 0 subjects in ADF, 1 in control	FCR (n=16, 59.7±6.6, 26.7±1.8) Control (n=15, 59.7±6.2, 26.8±2.6)	IF: 300–500 kcal/d reduction from baseline6 + 2 d/wk of Muslim Sunnah fasting; with counseling Control: ad lib, no counseling	3 mon	↓ anger, tension, confusion, weight, BMI, body fat in IF group NS changes in mean depression scores
Varady, 2013 [93]	N = 30 22F/8M Age 35–65 BMI 20.0–29.9 DR: 6.2% (2 of 32)	ADF (n=15, 47±3, 26±1) Control (n=15, 48±2, 26±1)	ADF: 25% energy needs2 on fast day (meals provided), ad lib feast day Control: ad lib daily	12 wk	↓ weight, fat mass, TG, leptin in ADF ↑ adiponectin, LDL particle size in ADF Unchanged LDL, HDL,
Teng, 2011 [24]	N = 25 Men only Age 50–70 BMI: 23.0–29.9 DR: 14% (4 of 28)	FCR (n=12, 59.3±3.4, 27.0±1.7a) Control (n=13, 58.3±6.3, 26.5±1.8)	ICR: −300 to −500 kcal/day + 2 days of fasting/wk for 3 mon period Control: no intervention	3 mon	↓ weight, BMI, body fat %, depression in ICR ↑ energy component of QOL in ICR
Catenacci, 2016[27]	N = 25 19F/6M Age: 18–55 BMI: ≥30.0 DR: 7 withdrew prior to randomization; all 25 completed intervention	ADF (n=13, 36.9±9.5, 35.8±3.7) CR (n=12, 42.7±7.9, 39.5±6)	ADF: 0% energy needs5 on fast day, ad lib feast day Control: 400 kcal/d deficit	8 wk intervention 24 wk follow up	↓ weight in both groups, NS difference ADF group regained more FFM and CR group regained more FM (NS)
Harder- Lauridsen, 2017[94]	N=20 Males only Age: ≥18 BMI: 18.5–2.05 DR: 10% in ADF, 0 in control	ADF (n=10, 23±3.6, NR) Control (n=10, 24±1.8, NR)	While on bed rest ADF: 25% energy needs2 on fast days (1 meal/d), 175% needs on feast days (4 meals/d) Control: 100% needs2 (3 meals/d)	8 days	NS differences in weight, body composition, biomarkers, or glycemic control ↓ systolic blood pressure in ADF ↓ FFM in both groups

^aInclusion age in years and inclusion BMI in kg/m². Mean age (mAge) presented as Mean ± SEM when available. Mean baseline BMI (bBMI) presented as Mean ± SEM when available.

^bEnergy needs calculated by: ¹doubly labeled water technique, ²Mifflin-St. Jeor equation, ³measured REE (indirect calorimetry) x self-reported physical activity level, ⁴calculated resting metabolic rate x activity factor, ⁵[(372 + 23.9 X FFM) X 1.5], ⁶Diet history questionnaire (DHQ)