Table 1. Characteristics of Meta-analyses of Randomized Clinical Trials Studying Intermittent Fasting.
| Source | Population | Type of IF | Comparator | Duration of fasting | No. of included studies | Total participants | Outcomes | AMSTAR-2 rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cioffi et al,22 2018 | Adults with or without medical conditions | 5:2 diets, MADF | CER | 2-6 mo | 11 | 630 | Body weight, fat-free mass, fat mass, HDL-C, LDL-C, TC, TG, FPG, HbA1c, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, adverse events | Moderate |
| Harris et al,23 2018 | Adults with overweight or obesity | 5:2 diets, MADF | RD or CER | 3-6 mo | 6 | 360 | Body weight, fat-free mass, fat mass, waist circumference, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG, TC, FPG, insulin, SBP, DBP, adverse events | Moderate |
| Cho et al,6 2019 | Adults without diabetes | MADF, TRE, 0-calorie ADF | RD or CER | 1-6 mo | 12 | 545 | BMI, body weight, fat-free mass, fat mass, FPG, HOMA-IR, adiponectin, leptin | Low |
| Roman et al,24 2019 | Adults with overweight or obesity | 5:2 diets, MADF | CER | 1-12 mo | 9 | 782 | Body weight, fat-free mass, fat mass, hip circumference, waist circumference | Low |
| Cui et al,25 2020 | Adults | MADF | RD | 1-12 mo | 7 | 269 | BMI, body weight, fat-free mass, fat mass, HDL-C, LDL-C, TC, TG, FPG, HOMA-IR, SBP, DBP | Low |
| Meng et al,7 2020 | Adults | 5:2 diets, MADF | RD or CER | 1-12 mo | 28 | 1528 | HDL-C, LDL-C, TC, TG | Moderate |
| Moon et al,5 2020 | Adults | TRE | RD or CER | 4 d to 3 mo | 19 | 475 | Body weight, fat-free mass, fat mass, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG, FPG, SBP, DBP | Moderate |
| Park et al,28 2020 | Adults | MADF | RD, CER, or TRE | 1-8 mo | 8 | 728 | BMI, body weight, fat-free mass, fat mass, waist circumference, HDL-C, LDL-C, TC, TG, FPG, insulin, SBP, DBP, CRP | Moderate |
| Pellegrini et al,26 2020 | Adults who are healthy or with chronic disease not impacting outcomes | TRE | RD or CER | 1-2 mo | 11 | 452 | BMI, body weight, fat-free mass, fat mass, HDL-C, LDL-C, TC, TG, FPG, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, SBP, DBP | Low |
| Pureza et al,8 2020 | Adults with overweight or obesity | TRE | RD or TRE | 1 d to 3 mo | 8 | 264 | LDL-C, HDL-C, TC, TG, FPG, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, ghrelin | Moderate |
| He et al,27 2021 | Adults with overweight or obesity | 5:2 diets, MADF | CER | 3-12 mo | 11 | 850 | Body weight, fat-free mass, fat mass, waist circumference, HDL-C, LDL-C, TC, TG, FPG, HbA1c, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, SBP, DBP | Moderate |
Abbreviations: AMSTAR-2, A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews; BMI, body mass index; CER, continuous energy restriction; CRP, C-reactive protein; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; FPG, fasting plasma glucose; HbA1c, hemoglobin A1c; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HOMA-IR, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; MADF, modified alternate-day fasting; RD, regular diet; SBP, systolic blood pressure; TC, total cholesterol; TG, triglyceride; TRE, time-restricted eating; ADF, alternate-day fasting.