Effects of intermittent fasting and energy-restricted diets on lipid profile: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract
Objectives To the best of our knowledge, no systematic review and meta-analysis has evaluated the cholesterol-lowering effects of intermittent fasting (IF) and energy-restricted diets (ERD) compared with control groups. The aim of this review and meta-analysis was to summarize the effects of controlled clinical trials examining the influence of IF and ERD on lipid profiles. Methods A systematic review of four independent databases (PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar) was performed to identify clinical trials reporting the effects of IF or ERD, relative to non-diet controls, on lipid profiles in humans. A random-effects model, employing the method of DerSimonian and Laird, was used to evaluate effect sizes, and results were expressed as weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity between studies was calculated using Higgins I 2 , with values ≥50% considered to represent high heterogeneity. Subgroup analyses were performed to examine the influence of intervention type, baseline lipid concentrations, degree of energy deficit, sex, health status, and intervention duration. Results For the outcomes of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triacylglycerols (TG), there were 34, 33, 35, and 33 studies meeting all inclusion criteria, respectively. Overall, results from the random-effects model indicated that IF and ERD interventions resulted sign…
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Triglycerides are reduced with intermittent fasting in proportion to weight loss.
“Triglycerides are reduced with intermittent fasting in proportion to weight loss.”
From 2021 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway on the Management of ASCVD Risk Reduction in Patients With Persistent Hypertriglyceridemia (2021) · cites this paper as [71]
In 3 systematic reviews and meta-analyses of time-restricted eating and/or intermittent fasting versus control, weight loss ranged from 1 to 4 kg and triglycerides decreased by 6 to 12 mg/dL.
“In 3 systematic reviews and meta-analyses conducted to evaluate the effects of time-restricted eating and/or intermittent fasting (vs control) on weight loss and cardiometabolic risk factors, weight loss ranged from 1 to 4 kg and triglycerides decreased by 6 to 12 mg/dL (70-72).”
From 2021 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway on the Management of ASCVD Risk Reduction in Patients With Persistent Hypertriglyceridemia (2021) · cites this paper as [71]
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- Authors
- Meng, H., Zhu, L., Kord-Varkaneh, H., O Santos, H., Tinsley, G. M., & Fu, P.
- Affiliations
- Texas Tech University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Fu, Peng
- Venue
- Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2020-09
- Volume
- 77
- Pages
- 110801
- ISSN
- 0899-9007 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3011818801
- Cited by
- 146
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 10
- FWCI
- 2.55
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Dietary Effects on Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Diet and metabolism studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Lipoproteins and Cardiovascular Health
- Keywords
- intermittent fasting, hypocaloric diet, lipid profile, LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, cholesterol-lowering effect, dietary intervention, negative energy balance, sex differences, intervention duration, weight loss, cardiovascular risk reduction, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, inflammation, oxidative stress, gut microbiota, gut-brain axis
- MeSH terms
- Fasting, Humans, Lipids, Cholesterol, HDL, Cholesterol, LDL, Triglycerides
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