35+ Latest Intermittent Fasting Statistics [2023]

We have gathered 35+ intermittent fasting statistics to give you an overview of what’s going on in the world of weight loss and the trend of intermittent fasting. Keep reading to learn more!

Do you want to learn more about fasting? Check out our ultimate intermittent fasting guide!

Intermittent Fasting Statistics

#1. Fasting may be more useful than regular calorie restriction for many overweight patients because of greater loss of body fat, and better preservation of muscle. (PubMed)

#2. Research indicates that time-restricted feeding patterns such as the 16/8 method may prevent hypertension and reduce the amount of food consumed, leading to weight loss. (NCBI)

#3. A study found that when combined with resistance training, the 16/8 method helped decreased fat mass and maintain muscle mass in male participants. (NCBI)

#4. 24 percent of US adults say they’ve tried intermittent fasting for weight loss. (YouGov)

#5. Intermittent fasting is seen as an inexpensive dieting option according to Americans. (YouGov)

Intermittent Fasting Benefits Statistics

#6. Intermittent fasting help modify risk factors for health conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, such as lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels. (Clinical Nutrition ESPEN)

#7. Fasting for up to 24 hours can lead to a metabolic shift that causes your body to use fat as an energy source instead of glucose. (PubMed)

#8. Time-restricted feeding cycles may have a variety of other health benefits. Studies show that time-restricted feeding cycles can prevent diabetes, slow tumor progression, delay aging, and increase lifespan in rodents. (PubMed)

#9. A hormone that’s altered during a fast is human growth hormone (HGH), levels of which may increase as much as five-fold. (PubMed)

#10. Restricting meals to a six-hour window that ended at 3 P.M. led to better insulin sensitivity and blood pressure even without weight loss. (Science Direct)

#11. Almost nine in 10 (87%) people who have tried intermittent fasting to lose weight say that this diet was very effective. (YouGov)

#12. Fasting improves metabolism, lowers blood sugar levels; lessens inflammation, which improves a range of health issues from arthritic pain to asthma; and even helps clear out toxins and damaged cells, which lowers risk for cancer and enhances brain function. (Harvard Health)

#13. One 16-week study in obese men found that those who practiced intermittent fasting lost 47% more weight than those who continuously restricted calories. (PubMed)

#14. Studies have shown that intermittent fasting reduces markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interferon gamma (ifnγ), leptin, interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), and interleukin 6 (IL-6). (PubMed)

#15. Fasting may promote autophagy, a process in which your body breaks down and recycles old, potentially dangerous parts of your cells. (PubMed)

#16. Several animal studies suggest that autophagy may help protect against diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease. (PubMed)

#17. There is some evidence that water fasting may lower the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. (PubMed)

#18. In one study, 30 healthy adults followed a water fast for 24 hours. After the fast, they had significantly lower blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides — two risk factors for heart disease. (PubMed)

#19. A study in healthy adults found that restricting calorie intake to a 4-hour time period in the evening led to significantly greater body fat loss than when eating three separate meals throughout the day. (PubMed)

Alternate Day Fasting Statistics

#20. A randomized pilot study comparing alternate-day fasting to a daily caloric restriction in adults with obesity found both methods to be equally effective for weight loss. (PubMed)

#21. Another study found that participants consumed 35% fewer calories and lost an average of 7.7 pounds (3.5 kg) after alternating between 36 hours of fasting and 12 hours of unlimited eating over 4 weeks. (Cell)

#22. Research shows that combining alternate-day fasting with endurance exercise may cause twice as much weight loss than simply fasting. (PubMed)

#23. Research shows that alternate-day fasting trials lasting 3–12 weeks, as well as whole-day fasting trials lasting 12–24 weeks, reduce body weight and body fat. (PubMed)

#24. Alternate-day fasting improves the body’s response to insulin by more than twice as much as a typical calorie-cutting diet. (Wiley)

#25. In a study in people practicing alternate-day fasting for the religious holiday of Ramadan, proinflammatory cytokines were significantly lower during the alternate-day fasting period, compared to the weeks before or after. (PubMed)

Extended Fasting Statistics

#26. 48 hour fasts are linked to health benefits like increased insulin sensitivity, cellular repair, and weight loss. (PubMed)

#27. Appropriately spacing out your 48-hour fasts may offer greater health benefits. (PubMed)

#28. Extended fasts may slow cell aging. Cellular repair is your body’s natural way of replenishing its cells. It may help prevent disease and even delay tissue aging. (PubMed)

#29. Fasting for more than 24 hours may lower inflammation by reducing oxidative stress in your body’s cells. (Cell)

#30. During a fast of 24 or more hours, glycogen — the storage form of carbs — is depleted and insulin levels are reduced. This allows your body to burn mostly fat for energy, making stored body fat more available for use. (PubMed)

#31. Many studies note that various types of fasting, including 48-hour fasting, may decrease insulin levels. What’s more, they improve insulin sensitivity, which allows your body to transport blood sugar more efficiently. (PubMed)

#32. One study in 10 people with type 2 diabetes found that 12–72-hour fasting decreased fasting blood sugar levels by up to 20% after a single fast. (PubMed)

#33. Fasts lasting longer than 24 hours may have additional benefits for blood sugar control beyond those linked to shorter fasts. (Annual Review Of Nutrition)

Fasting Mimicking Diet Statistics

#34. Fasting Mimicking Diet triggers “autophagy,” your body’s natural way of cleaning house. Your cells clean and recycle old and damaged parts, resulting in a profound benefit — cellular rejuvenation. (Valter Longo)

#35. The Fasting Mimicking Diet helps you maintain healthy systolic blood pressure. (Valter Longo)

#36. The Fasting Mimicking Diet helps kickstart weight loss, supports healthy metabolic balance and rejuvenation from within. (Valter Longo)

Additional Intermittent Fasting Resources

Do these stats inspire you to learn more about intermittent fasting? Here are some additional resources that may be helpful.

Bottom Line

There are so many amazing benefits of intermittent fasting! It’s important to be aware of these statistics so that we can make our health a priority. We can easily make our health a priority by adding intermittent fasting into our lives. If you found these stats helpful, please feel free to share!

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